


Brief encounter

by MarjorieNescio



Category: The Big Bang Theory (TV), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-30 01:04:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21419647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarjorieNescio/pseuds/MarjorieNescio
Summary: On their way to her family's farm Penny and her four friends run into Sophia who got separated from her people and needs help finding them.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 20





	1. Out of the blue

Introduction

Hello dear readers,

Perhaps some of you never heard of _The Walking Dead_ while others wonder what _The Big Bang Theory_ is about. TWD is about a group of people surviving in a zombie invaded world. TBBT centres around a waitress/actress named Penny and her four nerdy friends.

Sophia is a girl from TWD. She got lost in season 2 and in _Brief encounter_ TBBT and TWD meet through her. But who will meet who? For TWD side of the crossover it is clear that Rick's group and Hershel's people must be involved. But what about the characters from TBBT? I thought of including Bernadette and Amy (who would make valuable contributions to the survival of the Pasadena gang), but I decided to use the five central characters only. My story is pre-Bernadette/pre-Amy with a twist: Penny and Leonard used to date and not long before the zombies started to walk the planet Leonard got wooed by Leslie Winkle. Penny and her men are on their way from California to Nebraska and I'm the first to say that it is illogical that they should meet Sophia who just left Atlanta but those things just happen in a story.

_Brief encounter_ has been published on fanfiction some years ago and as I want to post its ‘sequel’ _Drottningville _both there and on Ao3, I thought I’d post it here also.

Chapter 1 - Out of the blue

Penny was driving and Sheldon sat on the back of the Vespa, taking a nap. A few months ago, before _it_ had started, she would have believed it impossible for him to sit this close to another human being. Something told her that Sheldon had learned that bodily contact was oddly reassuring. He would never admit that just as he wouldn't admit that _she_ was in fact leading their gang. Some things just won't change and given the circumstances having Sheldon around was a blessing if only for that reason.

Penny kept an eye on the road ahead but she didn't neglect to check her mirrors even though it was just the five of them riding through the forest. Howard had reduced the sound of the engines so brilliantly that the wind murmuring in the trees deafened their passing by. Silence was a life saver.

Via her left mirror she cast a glance at Howard. When it had all been fun talk – well, for her at least – she had pictured spending 24/7 with Wolowitz. It had made her shiver. Since the day of their escape Howard hadn't made a single annoying remark though.

As a rule they drove day and night, taking small breaks in between. The digital clock on Penny's dashboard read 10:59 and that meant it was about time for the Nag moment. It took several minutes before they could stop at a spot that Penny judged to be safe.

A few days after their escape, when Sheldon had lamented their future lack of toilet paper, Penny recalled the hiking trips sheˈd made with her uncle Eric. She'd been eight years old and her uncle must have gotten fed up with her ´My feet hurt. My backpack's too heavy. I'm tired.´ Understanding that people need to voice their complaints, he'd told her that she could nag once a day, at three in the afternoon, and no more. It worked like a charm. If she got stuck by a bug, she'd know that she could complain about the itch later on. And of course at three o'clock she wouldn't even recall she was bitten.

Her present troubles weren't easy to forget and nor were those of her companions. Most of the time they didn't share their deepest worries for they all had more or less the same story to tell. The N moment was valuable though if only because Sheldon thrived on regularity.

They ate some raisins and stretched their legs.

´I will start,´ said Sheldon. ´I _hate_ not having a bathroom. And my bowels have still not come to terms with life as a traveller.´

´I wish I could contact my family,´ Raj softly said. He had learned to talk in Penny's presence without the aid of alcohol. Penny wondered whether that was because most of the time they faced their surroundings and not each other or because she smelled less feminine these days.

´And I see some dandelion plants over there,´ Raj added, ´and I just wish we had a nice honey-mustard dressing to go with it.´

´Me too!´ Sheldon said with a sigh.

After a moment's silence Leonard spoke: ´I wanna sleep in a real bed for like a day. Just a nice bed, that's all I need. And I want to dream nice dreams, without baby monsters in it.´

´I hate this world,´ Howard said.

It was all he remarked, as usual. Penny was worried sick for him but all she said was: ´I feel dirty wearing these clothes day after day. It's disgusting.´

´Oh great,´ Sheldon said, ´Look at the sky. It's going to rain again.´

A few minutes after they'd driven on, Sheldon –who had fallen asleep again – proved right. It was just a drizzle and it didn't last long but Penny was grateful for her waterproof outfit. Raj and Leonard had done a great job as their provision officers. Back then, when they'd made a list of things to buy, it had just been a nerd thing to Penny. Something like buying a replica of Anduril.

OoOoO

_´You_'_re our best shooter Penny. I_'_ve assigned you for a course to learn how to handle various weapons,´ Sheldon told her._

_When she started laughing he handed her a print-out with her training schedule for the weekend. Raj, Howard and Leonard nodded in support of Sheldon_'_s plan. _

_´We've been talking about this for some time now Penny. You made me believe that you were paying attention, but I guess you were thinking of cheesecake instead. Now, the articles in _The Times of India _leave no doubt. Perhaps the merry reaction of Dr and Mrs Koothrappali to Raj_'_s warning gave you the wrong impression, but this is for real! We need to speed up our preparations. For your information: we will travel on Vespa_'_s. At first I wanted to buy a van, but these gentlemen convinced me that it would be a death trap. A Vespa will be the better choice, especially since Wolowitz managed to make it run so economically that it would reduce an oil baron to tears. Here's the driving schedule.´_

_´Thank you Sheldon,´ Penny said meekly as she took over the notebook Sheldon handed her. Faking surprise she remarked that Sheldon was not driving._

_´I'm not the only one who isn't,´ Sheldon defended himself._

_´My mother will need all her concentration just to remain seated,´ Howard commented with a shrug._

_´Sheldon won't,´ Penny said in an undertone. Raj, Leonard and Howard glanced at each other. Sheldon swallowed nervously._

_´We only have four drivers now Sheldon. You need to drive too if we have to make it all the way to my parental home._

_´I am glad you actually heard _some_ of what we said. I hope you've informed your relatives that we will be staying with them?_

_Penny had no intention of doing such an idiotic thing but she looked at Sheldon as if she was offended by his lack of trust._

_´You. Need. To. Drive. Sheldon.´_

_Sheldon objected. He asked them to picture the danger he would inflict on them in case he would drive them out of town in the midst of an exodus._

_´You won_'_t have to drive then,´ Penny offered with a sweet smile. ´But you _will_ drive. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few!´_

_´Or one,´ Sheldon added. He bowed his head in defeat.´You are right Penny.´ _

_The others looked at her admiringly. Who would have thought, Penny said to herself, that they_ _were_ _a bunch of actors? Just to see how they would talk themselves out of it she inquired who would be Sheldon_ˈs _driving instructor. They compared their schedules and at last Raj was appointed for the part. _

_On Saturday at seven in the morning Penny showed up at the shooting-range expecting her friends to welcome her with laughter. They weren't there. For several hours she forgot about being fooled around for she liked to shoot and fight. Her teacher, a former marine, told her she was a natural. A couple of bruises into the day the compliment lost some of its glory. The guys supposedly had their own project Z tasks but what else would they be doing but gaming in 4A? They would make fun of her on her return. She pictured Sheldon's freaky smile and Leonard's teasing eyes. Raj would giggle and Howard would be making remarks about blondes _not_ having more fun. Feeling muscles she didn't even know she had, she came up with a plan to trick the tricksters._

OoOoO

If only we would be actors in a doomsday play, Penny mused. The director would shout ´Cut!´ and the creeps would stop moaning and have their make-up removed.

A high pitched scream reminded Penny that she could not afford to wander off.

Sheldon woke up instantly.

´Danger!´ he whispered, more to himself than to Penny. Seeing something move ahead of her, Penny stopped. The other drivers followed her lead. Raj smoothly turned around to cover their back.

There was another scream. Penny readied her hand-bow. A girl stumbled from underneath a bush, followed closely by a one-armed zombie. The creature stepped on the hem of her dress and in her fall she reached for the girl's ankle. Penny fired an arrow between the zombie's eyes.

Sheldon exhaled.

Penny rode toward the child.

´Hold Llamrei Sheldon,´ she instructed. Sheldon had insisted that the scooters would be named and though for form's sake they had opposed him, they all used the names nowadays. Penny dismounted and softly addressed the girl: ´Hi. I'm Penny. Who are you?´

´I'm So- Sophia.´

´Are you all alone?´

Eyes still wide with fear, the girl nodded.

´We'll take you with us. That's Howard,´ Penny said as she gestured toward him. ´Go and sit behind him.´

The girl just stared at her. Penny turned her back to her and pulled the arrow out of the zombie's skull.

´Now sweetie!´ she said.

The girl hasted to obey and a moment after she grabbed hold of Howard they were on their way.

Oh Jeez, Penny said to herself.


	2. Memories

Not far from the spot where they had picked up Sophia Penny found a place to stop.

´Let's have an early lunch,´ she suggested. ´Will you help Howard to make soup Sophia?´

_Question her_, she mouthed to Howard when she handed him her mug.

´We will stand guard,´ she told the girl.

Behind her Howard got devices and supplies from his Vespa.

´This is something I designed Sophia.´

´Are you an inventor?´

´I'm an engineer. It's a bit like being an inventor. These are solar cells, see?´

Penny watched the surroundings ahead of her and recalled how excited the men had been when Wolowitz had shown them his designs. Sheldon paying Howard a compliment had made her realise that Howard had done something truly clever.

´We're not used to having young ladies around,´ Howard said, ´And I hope you don't mind a casual introduction. Penny you know. The yawning guy is Leonard. The tall one is Sheldon and the one with the cap is Raj.´

´Hi,´ Sophia shyly said.

´Hi Sophia,´ Leonard replied pleasantly at the same moment Sheldon stiffly said ´Hello.´ Raj managed a greeting also.

´Why are they not facing us? Are they angry at me?´

´It's safer this way. We now cover all sides see?´

´You would if you _faced_ each other.´

´You're a smart girl, aren't you?´

Sheldon huffed.

´We'll have soup in a moment. Want an energy bar now?´ Howard said.

´Yes please.´

´Here you are. So little one, how come you're all alone here?´

Penny only had eyes for the surroundings but her ears were focused on Howard and Sophia and on the familiar sounds of a warm lunch being prepared.

´We were hiding under cars and _they_ passed by and I got scared and I run,´ the girl said with a mouthful. ´Mr Rick came for me but there was another walker and he told me to hide.´

´Uhuh?´

´I did but then there was another one nearby and I run. I lost them.´

´So you call them _walkers_, do you?´

´Not now Sheldon!´ Howard said.

´I wonder why,´ Sheldon continued, ´I mean they move all right but one can hardly call it walking. It's more like stumbling. _We_ call them zombies Sophia for that is what they are.´

´Who is Rick?´ Howard asked the girl.

´He's Carl's dad. He's a policeman just like Mr Shane. Mum and I met them on the road. Mr Shane said he was glad to see Mr Rick, who came to us in Atlanta, but I don't think he was.´

´Oh?´

´Everyone now listens to Mr Rick you see.´

Two policemen. That could be good. Then again: when on occassion Penny had picked up her brother from the police station she had experienced that some cops were power hungry bastards.

´So you came from Atlanta?´ Howard asked.

´No. But we stayed near Atlanta for a while and then we were attacked by walk- zombies. Mr Rick said we had to go to the CDC then.´

´Excellent choice.´

Ignoring Sheldon Howard asked: ´Did you walk to the CDC?´

´No. We travel by car.´

´That must be crowded: you and your mum and Carl and Rick and Shane in one car.´

Penny privately admired Howard's interrogation skills.

´We have several cars. And Mr Daryl's got a motor bike. He has a crossbow just like Miss Penny.´

´It's a hand-bow.´

´Sheldon!´

´Really Howard, no need to get sloppy.´

´Could you hand this mug to Sheldon and this one to Raj Sophia?´

Sophia did as she was bid and it was silent for a moment except for a bird singing. Penny loved the sound of it: animals always kept quiet when zombies were near.

When Sophia returned to Howard he told her that her soup was ready too. Before the girl had a chance to taste it Howard asked her after the size of her group.

´There's eleven of us now. Will you help me find my mum please?´

Silence.

´Can you bring this mug to Penny_?_´

It's my decision huh, Penny thought. Fair enough.

Sophia handed Penny her soup.

´Thanks sweetie. Do you like your group, besides your mum of course?´

´Like them? If they look after her they can be the Dalton brothers for all she cares. Of course there aren't ten Dalton brothers or eleven if she excluded her – ´

´Hush!´ Penny said. ´Are there other women besides your mum Sophia?´

Slurping.

´There's Carl's mum. And Miss Andrea.´

Five or six men.

´Are your people armed?´ Leonard asked.

Penny smiled for her ex-boyfriend didn't sound afraid. After they'd encountered some living freaks a couple of weeks ago Leonard had left Leonard-who-gets-bullied behind him.

Sophia said they had guns and knives and bats.

Well, Penny said to herself, can't blame them for that. She finished her soup. Dealing with other people was risky these days. Then again, having a girl in tow wasn't safe either. And there was the thing of a child needing a mother.

´We'll help you Sophia,´ she said. ´Howard will ask you about the place where you got lost.´

´But first,´ Howard said, ´I will ask my young assistant to give this mug to Leonard.´

´Would you say that your people are looking for you Sophia?´ Sheldon coolly asked.

´Yes?´

´That is not an answer. But let us assume that they will. You are part of their social group after all and your mother will most certainly not give up on you. Biology beats the brain far too often.´

´Sheldon.´

Sheldon sighed. ´This Rick Sophia mentioned seems fairly "smart". Let's assume he checked the place where she got lost and -´

´Dude, there was a group of zombies hanging around.´

´I know that Raj. Sophia's people could have found themselves a house to use as a command centre. From there they could check the road every day, in case the girl would return to it.´

´Makes sense,´ Penny admitted. ´But we need to find the location where Sophia got lost first.´

She wished they could leave. Though everyone kept their voices down, it seemed to her that they were making far too much noise.

´I'm spreading out the map right now,´ Howard informed them. ´Where was your group heading for Sophia?´

´Fort Bening,´ the girl replied.

´Did you travel on a one lane road?´

´Three. It was blocked by empty cars.´

´Uhuh. From your arrival point of view, did you run to the right side or did you run to the left side of the road?´

´The right side.´

´How long were you in the forest by yourself?´

´I stayed in trees for three nights. And I slept in an abandoned house for one night.´

´Did you see many houses?´

´No.´

´What did you do during the day Sophia?´

´I tried to find mum.´

´Did you ever cross a road?´

´No.´

´Was there a river or stream or so?´

´Yes. It wasn't deep but it was wide. I didn't cross it.´

´Do you think you walked far away or did you perhaps walk in circles?´

´I saw a heart in a tree a couple of times. It said _Dennis loves Meryl_. I never thought to leave a message too …´

From Sophia's tone of voice Penny guessed she was trying hard not to cry. Howard's gently reply confirmed her idea: ´For a child all alone, without a weapon, you've done wonderful Sophia. Your mother will be proud of you.´

It was silent for a while. Sophia, possibly at her own initiative, came to collect the empty mugs.

´Thanks to Sophia's good answers I think I can locate the place where she lost her group. I've marked it with an X Sheldon. Our location is marked with a red dot. Could you confirm my idea?´

´Change of guard,´ Sheldon formally announced.

Penny heard the shuffling of feet. It didn't take long before Sheldon spoke.

´I agree,´ he said. ´It's at three point eight miles. As the crow flies. Over seven by road.´

A distance of nothing. On their arrival they might walk into a herd of zombies though. And there really was no way to tell where Sophia's people were right now. Penny looked at the grey sky. They needed a command centre of their own.

´Are there houses nearby Sheldon?´

´I must object -´

´Can you guide us to the nearest house?´

´Of course I can Penny.´

OoOoOoO

_After another day of training with her marine it felt like heaven to Penny to slouch on the couch in 4A. By the time she started eating her Chinese food at a slower pace, she was able to think again. She knew that Howard had worked on his technical devices. Unlike him _Sheldon_ didn't have lubricating oil on his hands and clothes. Leonard and Raj had followed a first aid course and they'd shopped for gear. Unlike them_ Sheldon_ didn't look tired. Unlike her _he_ wasn't bruised._

_´Say Sheldon. What did you do today?´_

_Sheldon raised his eyebrows. ´I memorized Penny.´_

_´Yeah, I read so in the schedule, but what did you memorize? An instruction book on how to repair a broken down Vespa? You know, I still don't get why we can't _fly_ to Nebraska.´_

_´One zombie in the aircraft and we will be gone.´_

_´There are no zombies around now. Not here.´_

_It was three weeks after her first fighting class and Penny no longer believed that her men were making fun of her._

_´At Call Tech we have the facilities to make the future easier for us. If we go to the farm _now_ we will lack that opportunity.´_

_´But we'd be _alive!

_´We'd live like _Neanderthalers_ Penny!´_

_´And what you did today is going to prevent that?´_

_´No, but it will help us during our journey. I am memorizing all routes from here to our destination and from any given point between here and our destination. Naturally I am also filing the locations of important buildings, such as research institutions: knowlegde. Police stations: weapons. Pharmacies: medicines. And in case of need: supermarkets. For the rural areas I will also include houses. You can question me. I've covered the first hundred miles.´_

_Penny accepted the challenge. With the help of Google maps she named a village and asked Sheldon how to get from there to the nearest hospital. When he got to the third option she begged him to eat the last dumpling._

_´I will miss dumplings,´ Sheldon said with a sigh. _

OoOoOoO

Of the first house Sheldon brought them to nothing but a few blackened walls remained. Halfway the driveway to the second house Penny, who rode ahead, spotted a zombie. Its ankle was caught in a trap. Sophia shrieked and Penny was sorry that she hadn't told the girl to shut up. The zombie, though it looked hideous, wasn't threatening but Penny planned to leave for the driveway ahead of them was a muddy trail without tyre tracks. Howard thought differently. He parked Roheryn and told Sophia to remain seated. Taking his bat with him he walked to the hungry zombie.

My friend smashes a zombie's skull and he looks calm and dangerous. The horny engineer is gone, Penny thought.

Property number three was a trailer. It stood on a square of asfalt and a bird hopped off the roof as they approached. Penny took a small stone from her coat's pocket and threw it against the trailer. Nothing happened. She rode to the back side where the door was situated. Her friends followed her.

´Now listen Sophia. Raj and I will check the trailer. You will stay here with Howard and be _really_ silent, OK?´

´Yes Miss Penny.´

Penny readied her hand-bow. Raj held his manchette and he looked determined. The others stood guard, prepared to fight if need be.

We've changed, Penny realised yet again. In the week after their escape from Pasadena she had feared it would never happen. Despite the preparations her men had made the horror of living in a zombie infaded world had shaken them to their core. Penny had needed to be the strong one. She had gladly accepted the part: it helped to act like a warrior queen when you had to eliminate zombies. As she had grown into her role her friends had slowly adjusted to reality. Penny wished with all her heart that they could still be discussing Stan Lee's contribution to syfy or bicker over which of Professor X's men was the coolest.

There were no flies on the inside of the trailer's windows. All seemed clear. Raj slowly opened the trailer's door. The house wasn't big but it took several minutes before they had searched it. They checked behind every door and under every piece of furniture. They opened every cupboard and drawer. When they were done Penny nodded at Raj who wiped his brow and went to the door to whistle the _gather _signal.

Sophia held Howard's hand as they walked to the entrance.

´OK,´ Penny started, ´The trailer is clear. Bottles of water, canned food, clothes. It's a good place to start our quest. It also has a clean functional bathroom.´

Sheldon, overcome with joy, announced that he'd be the first to have a shower. The others helped themselves to some canned fruit and bottled water. Raj, standing guard in the doorway, exclaimed: ´This is _so_ yummy!´

Penny agreed with the sentiment though she thought the word "divine" was more fitting. Because shopping areas would be crowded with zombies they tried to avoid them. With the food they gathered from field, forest and the occassional house combined with the dried food and vitamin pills they had taken with them there was hardly a need to visit stores. As a result they barely ever drank water without purifying chemicals added to it. Penny had learned the hard way that Sheldon had a point in insisting they would not drink "soiled" water.

Penny savoured her last sip and went back to business. ´You haven't slept properly in days, have you Sophia?

The girl shyly shook her head.

´There's a small bedroom at the back. Why don't you have a shower and then go to bed. There are some clothes here that I think will fit you just fine.´

´Won't that be stealing?´ Sophia asked, looking at Howard.

´Some months ago, when the world was normal, it would have been,´ he replied. ´But would you mind if a girl found shelter in your house and changed her torn, stained clothes for something clean?´

Sophia shook her head.

´See? The child who lived here won't mind either.´

´It's a bit like trading,´ Penny added.

Sophia kept smiling at Howard.

Look at that, Penny thought. If I were her I would make an adult like me too. But why didn't she pick me? Am I not likeable anymore? Or is Sophia old enough to understand that men have a thing for a damsel in distress? Or was she daddy's little girl?

´Say Sophia, you haven't mentioned your father have you?´

´He got eaten,´ Sophia said.

Not bitten. Not killed. Eaten. Leonard and Howard looked as shocked as Penny felt.

´I'm so sorry.´

´I'm not. He hurt mum.´

Sheldon entered the living room. ´I feel positively revitalized,´ he said, ´And please don't worry: I only used the shower for two minutes. There will be plenty of water for all of you. I also left it spotless but that goes without saying.´

´We expected nothing less Sheldon,´ Leonard said.

Sheldon poured himself a glass of water. Sophia waited whether the adults were going to say more. When they didn't, she said: ´That tasted really good. Thank you. But I liked your soup even better Mr Howard.´

´Right,´ Penny said. ´Now let's get you a nice hot shower and then you can go to bed.´

The girl looked doubtful about the bed part but when Howard said that it didn't matter that it was only early in the afternoon she followed Penny to the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later on Penny returned to the living room. She found Howard sitting behind his laptop. Leonard was asleep on a folding bed.

´Raj and Sheldon are guarding,´ Howard said.

´I'm sure they both wanna play with the toys. I'll relieve one of them.´

Howard cast her a rare smile and Penny decided to stay for a while.

´Sophia is smitten with you.´

Howard shrugged.

´You're her hero,´ Penny added. Her friend's smile faded instantly.

´I'm a coward.´

´No you're not.´

´Ask my mother if she agrees with you. ´

Howard had arrived at 2311 all alone. He had said four words:_ she didn't make it_. In the following months he had never mentioned his mother again. He had avoided his friends' attempts to comfort him but everyone knew that he missed his mum: he always made sure that the name of his Vespa was visible even if he had to use saliva for it.

´What happened?´

Howard's hands moved over the keyboard. His jaw was clenched.

´If you don't wanna talk…´

Howard sat back and stared at his folded hands.

´It's about time I talked. I've been a coward about that too.´

Penny opened her mouth but Howard raised his hand to stop her from replying.

´Near my house the first zombies were out already. People panicked, it was crowded. I took a short cut, through an alley. My mother lost her bag. She yelled that I had to stop. I did. What an idiot I was.´

He swallowed. Penny listened for any suspicious noises coming from outside. Apart from Leonard's soft snorring it was quiet.

´I let her get off,´ Howard said, talking even more slowly than he had before. ´From behind a carbage bin a zombie came for me. He still looked human Penny. Wearing a suit, a key-cord with a company pass around his neck. I felt like a bunny staring at a snake. Then he moaned and I got off and I hit him with my bat. I didn't aim for the head. I just _couldn't_. He tried to bite me. I was only aware of him and me. ´

Howard stopped talking for a moment.

´Anyway I hit him again. He came back. I peed my pants.´ After clearing his throat Howard added: ´I hit him once more and he happened to fall head first on a piece of glass. You know what I was thinking?´

Not waiting for a reply Howard continued: ´I feared that the cops would come and arrest me for killing an innocent business man. For all the preparations we'd made, for all we knew, I had never pictured how it would be. The way they look and smell. The feeling of being prey. I stood there and I _stared_. I don't know how long it took me to become aware of the surroundings. My mother shrieked and I turned to tell her that yeah, I was all right. Turned out she was fighting a zombie who was feeding from her leg. I smashed its head again and again and again and again.´

Howard's fist hit his upper leg with each _again_.

´She was dying. I told her I loved her. And I left.´

Penny held her crying friend. She didn't plan on letting go until he was ready for it.

´I couldn't prevent her from turning. I couldn't even face seeing her turn. I left her to die all alone.´

When Howard's sobs died down Penny said: ´You made sure she could flee with us. You killed her attacker even though you were scared. You are _not_ a coward Howard Wolowitz. Cowards don't fight for their friends.´

Howard moved a little and Penny lessened her hold on him. He sat up straight and used the back of his hand to remove some mucus. ´If this were a TV series I would say: common guys, don't just _sit_ there, go and find the girl's people.´

Penny ruffled his hair. ´I'd better go and get you an assistant then.´

She was about to walk away when Howard grabbed her hand.

´Penny. If I should get bitten I can't picture myself to shoot my brain out. Will you do the honours then?´

Penny's instinct was to say that he _wouldn't_ get bitten; that they'd all arrive safely at her family's farm. Seeing the desperate look in her friend's eyes and knowing deep down that they might not even make till the next day she nodded.

´I will.´

Howard looked as if something really nice had just happened to him. It pained Penny to see it but she was an actress and she made it outside without shedding a tear.


	3. Lessons learned

Leaves fell. Penny relaxed her muscles the way Juan had taught her.

An owl shrieked. Penny applied the marine's mind tricks to stay focused.

She heard a whistle. Sheldon's whistle. She answered it.

Her friend walked toward her and handed her a spoon and a steaming mug filled with noodles.

´All quiet?´ he whispered leaning on his bat.

´Yes.´

´_They_ think you assisted Sophia in the shower because she was exhausted.´

Penny listened to the evening sounds while relishing the smell of her unexpected snack.

´No bite marks,´ she said.

´We start to think alike.´

Penny didn't contradict her friend. She blew on her noodles.

´The satellite connection is stable but incredibly slow,´ Sheldon informed her. ´Our solar power will feed the laptop for six more hours. No life signs so far.´

Penny listened to the evening sounds.

´How long will we search for the girl's mother Penny?´

Penny recalled the day when a defeated Sheldon had said: _With great power comes great responsibility._ She had solemnly replied _Understood._ It had meant nothing. She didn't understand until _now_.

´We'll search tomorrow and the next morning.´

´And then we leave.´

´Yes. We take Sophia with us if need be.´

She cast a glance at Sheldon. It was full moon and she could see a muscle near his eye twitch.

Penny listened to the evening sounds.

OoOoOoO

The bathroom was modest but the owner had left a bath-robe, shampoo and huge towels. Penny couldn't have felt more pampered in a spa. Her bra, shirt and socks were waiting in the shower. When you're lucky enough to find water, you have to make the most of it; Juan had taught them during survival training. Penny took her time to brush the tangles out of her hair. Back in Pasadena the guys had told her that zombies might grab her by her long hair. Rather than cutting it off, she had put it up. When her hair was smooth again Penny dropped her borrowed bath-robe to the floor and took off her jeans. She stared at the scratch on her inner thigh.

´Fucking bastard,´ she whispered with venom.

OoOoOoO

_With Raj and Leonard standing guard and Howard and Sheldon preparing dinner Penny took the opportunity to answer nature's call. She was glad Juan had introduced her to a tool that allowed women to pee standing. Just when she was about to zip up, she heard Sheldon shout. _

_´No sir! Those are our vehicles!´_

_Penny's heart rate increased instantly but before she could react she was knocked to the ground. Groaning from pain she reached for her bat. Her attacker took advantage of her movement to drag down her jeans. Penny moved her elbow backwards and hit something soft. A man turned her on her back and hit her when she punched him._

_´I don_'_t wanna share you with my friends yet. So keep quiet bitch.´ _

_Penny didn_'_t _want_ to alert her friends or any passing zombies for that matter. Besides: she wasn't going to waste her breath on the bastard. He straddled her and cupped her breasts. _

_´Nice tits. Bet you cunt feels just right too.´_

_Penny could move her legs and she wiggled underneath the man. With her left hand she clawed at him to distract him. It did not prevent him from moving one hand down. His huge rings hurt her thigh when he shoved his fingers in her panties. Penny had by then manoeuvred herself into a position where she could reach her right boot and the screwdriver she kept there; for a moment she lay still. _

_The man chuckled. ´I knew you would comply. You want some candy right?´_

_Ignoring what he was doing Penny stabbed him in his side. _

_Everything went in a haze. She zipped up and the moment after that she helped the guys to fight their attackers and then Sheldon gently removed a blood stained bat from her hands._

OoOoOoO

´How could that ass think I _liked_ his idea of sex!´ Penny spit while looking into the mirror on the medicine-cupboard.

´He's not worth mentioning. The pigs are dead,´ her reflexion whispered back to her. ´You killed them. They had it coming.´

Penny remembered how the attackers' skulls had looked like afterwards.

´You're _not_ a freak Penelope. You defended yourself and your friends. Any jury would have understood. Now, get that shower woman!´

Penny followed her own suggestion. The hot water caressing her body felt like heaven.

OoOoOoO

Penny was decorating a Christmas tree when her nephew demanded her attention for the sand castle he was making on the kitchen table.

´Aunt Penny! Look! Penny! Pen-ny!´

´What?´

´Wake up Penny. I found something.´

Penny opened her eyes and blinked. Raj squatted beside the bed and grinned at her excitedly. For a fleeting moment she thought he had walked into her apartment. She sat up and saw that Howard was asleep on the couch.

´At a couple of miles from here there's cultivated land!´

´That's great! Have you found the farm too?´

Raj rose and said: ´The laptop was running out of power. But if we feed Sheldon the data we gathered, he will be able to say where we should go to.´

OoOoOoO

Penny told her friends not to inform Sophia about their satellite connection and computer. _If_ they found her group the child might mention the gadgets and Penny didn't want to risk having to fight for them.

´But what _do_ we tell her?´ Sheldon demanded to know. The five of them were standing outside. Penny had locked Sophia's bedroom door.

´Last evening we studied our paper map,´ Penny improvised. ´After dawn we will start our search. We will check properties along the roads that are most likely to have been used by Sophia's people. Then surprise: we see farmer's land.´

She kept silent for a moment to listen to the sounds coming from the forest.

´Sheldon, Howard and I will be in favour of exploring it, despite it being outside our search area. Raj has his doubts and Leonard wants to stick to our original plan.´

´Understood,´ Leonard confirmed.

Penny talked some more. She ended by suggesting that Howard could now have a shower while Leonard and Raj had breakfast.

The second breakfast shift consisted of Penny, Sophia, Sheldon and Howard. The table was set for them including bowls of fruit, plates with their regular breakfast and even table decorations. Penny guessed Raj had arranged for that for she couldn't imagine that in Leonard's world zombies and little swans made of paper napkins co-existed.

After they finished their fruit Sheldon questioned Sophia about the CDC.

´Were the scientists close to finding a cure?´

Sophia shook her head. ´No sir, there was only one doctor left and he blew up the building.´

Sheldon put down his cutlery.

´He did _what!_?´

´He bl- blew up the b- building.´

Sophia looked at Howard. ´We had to run. Except for Miss Jacqui. She chose to stay with the doctor.´

´He committed suicide? For crying out loud! He's not worthy to be called a scientist. And couldn't he have _shot_ himself? Destroying a fully equipped research facility just like that!´

´I liked Miss Jacqui,´ Sophia told Howard.

Sheldon's nostrils were flaring and he was not done talking yet but Penny silenced him by placing her hand on his arm.

´It's a hard world isn't it Sophia?´ Howard said.

The girl swallowed her mouthful and said: ´I'm glad to be alive anyway. I'm sorry I lost my doll though. But maybe I'm too old for her.´

Penny felt sad. She heard herself ask: ´Has Leonard contacted Leslie already?´

´_Of course_ he has Penny. It is after seven a.m. after all.´

´Still nothing,´ Howard contributed.

´I told him on six occasions that though Leslie Winkle is an overrated scientist she will not allow a zombie to come near her or her sister.´

Sheldon tilted his head. ´If _she_ had been the only one left at the CDC she would _not_ have given up. She has your spirit Penny. Of course there's no point of her being in charge for she knows as much about viruses as a guinea-pig. She has that in common with you too.´

´Thanks Sheldon.´

´Sarcasm?´

´Not really. I only have to close my eyes and I'm back in 4A.´

Howard grinned.

Sheldon shifted in his seat. ´Do you recall when Juan wanted me to kill an animal?´

Penny recalled it. To trick the tricksters she had arranged a survival weekend. When she had told them about it they had praised her idea, much to her discomfort. When they had stood in the muddy middle of nowhere, rain pouring down on them, Penny had accepted as a given that they would get even with her. Actually she had _hoped_ for it for a payback would be far better than project Z _not_ being a prank. Sheldon had slaughtered a hare. The blood had run over his long pale fingers and he had tried not to faint. Right then and there Penny had known that it was for real.

´Uhuh,´ Penny said in reply to Sheldon's question.

´I told Juan that I would try it and you said _Do or do not. There is no try._ At that moment I realised that it had just been a great quote to me. You breathed life into those words Penny. When I now face a zombie it's _your_ voice that whispers those words in my ear. Not Yoda's.

Sheldon focused on his meal again. Penny wiped away a tear that clung to her eyelashes. Howard and Sophia either didn't notice it or were just pretending not to.

´This tastes good Mr Howard. What is it?´

Sheldon smirked. Howard cleared his throat and said: ´It's almost pure protein. With some dandelion leaves.´

´I like it!´

´I'm sure you don't like not being able to go to school,´ Sheldon said.

Sophia said that her mother and Carl's mother had taught them stuff. Sheldon huffed and wondered aloud whether Sophia's mum would be able to teach her daughter on a more advanced level than elementary school.

´Education is everything! Without it the average IQ will drop for the first time in centuries. Once we have arrived at our destination I will have to devote some of my time to setting up an educational system.´

Penny said it was about time to leave. Whenever the future was mentioned she got restless.


	4. From A to B

Half a year ago Penny's gorge would have risen at spotting long forgotten vegetables in her refrigerator. Right now she shoved a dead zombie to the side of the road as if her sense of smell was malfunctioning. With some shame she registered that she was giving the zombie an angry stare as if it could help it that it had been a sensible woman only two or three weeks ago.

Penny checked the zombie's backpack. It was a practical thing to do though she disliked finding the inevitable personal items such as family pictures or a driver's licence.

´It's past Nag time,´ Sheldon softly pointed out.

´Listening.´

´Sophia,´ Sheldon said, ´we will each nag for a moment. For approximately the next twenty-four hours we will not utter complaints or worries. I will start by saying that I wish we'd found your people already.´

´Thank you,´ Sophia said. ´So do I. I miss mum and everyone else too. What about your ring Mr Sheldon?´

´Excuse me?´

´Your ring. Is it a special ring?´

´That is not a complaint now is it?´

´No it's not. I'm just curious sir.´

´All right. My ring is a Green Lantern ring and- ´

´Raj?´ Penny interrupted Sheldon.

´I'm cool.´

Swans made of napkins and a beard trim.

´No complaints here,´ Leonard said.

Sleeping in a bed.

´Skipping this turn,´ Howard said.

Penny hoped that the promise she made her friend didn't have a major part in improving his spirits. Having been off the road for a night, enjoying a shower and last but not least working with high-tech tools must have their effect on Howard too.

She was sure that her men missed the intellectual challenge of their jobs. At her father's farm their computers and many gadgets would wait for them. They planned to bring on a new Renaissance and Penny was sure they would succeed. But what on earth was _she_ going to do when there were no zombies left to kill?

´Nothing on my side,´ Penny said. She rose. ´Let's get moving.´

Before she seated herself behind Raj she handed Sophia a small bat she had found in the backpack. To Leonard she gave the spare socks the dead woman had brought along. In a pocket of her pants Penny stuffed some tampons. Every zombie has a silver lining she told herself.

OoOoOoO

A huge tree blocked the road. They first tried to get the vehicles across using manpower. Sophia cried out encouragingly and Penny waited for the guys to stop the girl. Not even Sheldon did so but Penny guessed that he - unwilling to make even more noise - at least tried to silence the girl telepathically. She whistled the change of guard signal. Raj came to replace her and she gave him a dark look. He glanced at her sheepishly.

A week ago we faced a group of eight moaning, decomposing zombies, Penny thought. The guys dealt with them without even blinking but a little girl is too much for them? On our way here Howard even answered some questions Sophia asked him. What was he thinking?

Penny faced Sophia.

´Silence saves lives,´ Penny told the girl in a whisper. She heard the anger in her own voice and she saw the effect it had on Sophia.

´Shouting _yeah you can do it_ will attract zombies,´ she continued more gently. ´No chatting little one. Be quiet!´

Sophia blushed and nodded. Penny eyed Howard and Sheldon and raised her eyebrows. They looked down.

She stepped closer and gestured to Llamrei, Roheryn and Chetak. ´Ideas?´

´Physics,´ Sheldon whispered back.

The alternative would be to return and take another road to the farm. It would cost fuel but more importantly they might run into zombies who were alerted by Howard and Sophia's chatting on their way here.

Penny nodded and resumed guard duty. She breathed in deeply and reminded herself of wise words: when you guard, you guard. She wondered whether Juan would be all right. Would he have turned into a thief and a rapist by now or would he lead his loved ones into safety?

OoOoOoO

_´Why do you guys take this survival class?´ _

_The six of them sat underneath a shelter Penny and Howard had created. They ate a hare prepared by Sheldon and Raj on a fire made by Leonard._

_At 4A they had anticipated that the marine would ask the why question. Sheldon had volunteered to reply and no one had objected: Dr Cooper_'_s verbosity had the same quality as a lullaby. Not that they had told him so of course._

_´Have you ever heard about solar flares?´ Sheldon asked Juan._

_Juan had not. He soon interrupted Sheldon_'_s lecture: ´So you_'_re preppers. I_'_ve got an aunt who invests in silver because she_'_s afraid of hyper-inflation.´_

_´She_'_d better buy dried food and some weapons to protect it,´ Sheldon said._

_´Yeah but if she feels good this way… Do you guys prepare for more disasters?´_

_´Like what?´ Penny asked._

_´Oh, don_'_t know. A volcano erupting, creeps roaming the earth.´_

_Juan spoke with a genuine smile on his face, but Queen Penelope had a number one rule: trust no one._

_´Like vampires and stuff?´ she said in a disbelieving tone of voice._

_´Vampires aren_'_t really dangerous Penny,´ Sheldon said. ´You_'_re always safe during the day and after dusk you_'_re safe in your own house provided you never invite them in. If you would invite them in, and I just might for it would be fascinating to interview a vampire who "lived" for hundreds or even thousands of years, you should always rescind your invitation afterwards. In a polite way of course.´_

_Penny winked at Juan before addressing Sheldon. ´But wouldn_'_t you be obliged to serve the visiting vampire a hot beverage?´_

_Leonard chuckled. He hadn_'_t spoken a lot and Penny guessed his jaw still hurt from having his wisdom-tooth removed. With her newly funded belief in project Z she was glad that her wisdom-teeth had been removed years ago._

_´I would go to a butcher_'_s and ask for pig_'_s blood. Pigs resemble humans in a great many ways and the drink would therefore be as nutritious if perhaps not as palatable as human blood. My vampire guest would appreciate the trouble I took. In case he lacks the breeding of count Dracula I will make sure to eat lots of garlic in the days before our meeting to ensure that a mere sip of my blood will make him sick. I advise you to do the same Leonard. And you as well Penny. Though vampires seem to have a craving for virgins, so you_'_d be safe.´_

_´Then _you'd _better make sure to interview a _womanising _vampire sweetie.´_

_´It may come as a shock Sheldon,´ Howard said when Raj was done giggling and Juan had stopped laughing, ´but vampires, fairies, zombies, werewolves, hobbits and trolls _don't_ actually exist.´_

_Without Juan noticing it Howard winked at Sheldon. _

_´Solar flares _do,´ _Sheldon haughtily said,_ ´_Without electricity this country will become a land run by Chaos. I detest Chaos.´_

OoOoOoO

Sheldon whistled the alert signal. Penny, not seeing anything in her field of vision, re-checked the wide ditches next to the road. Sheldon had heard correctly: a zombie dragged itself toward them. The creature would never get out of the ditch but its soft moaning would eventually lure others. Penny's arrow hit bull's eye. A life time ago Juan had told her that she should try to join the Olympic team. Penny felt down at the thought that there would probably never be Olympics again.

Leonard, checking his side, whistled all clear. Penny checked the left ditch before doing the same. Soon afterwards Sophia joined her. The girl opened her mouth and then thought the better of it. From her gestures Penny concluded that two vehicles were already on the other side of the tree and that it would take less than five minutes to be moving again.

Things were going faster than Penny had anticipated. Another good thing was that the girl was a quick student after all. Penny smiled at her. Sophia didn't return it. When the girl walked back to the tree Penny shrugged.

OoOoOoO

Between leaving the tree behind them and discovering cultivated land they passed a burned down car with human remains in it. A few metres down the road a still life "Revolver and jerrycan amid bones" awaited them. They drove on. Raj had long ago stopped placing flowers near scenes like this one.

When they spotted a farmhouse Howard spoke his line: ´I think it's best when Penny checks the place.´

They found a spot from where they could see the entrance without being seen themselves. Penny lifted Chetak's saddle to get her backpack and went on her way. She felt self-confident because she knew how to fight and because Raj was glued to his binoculars to report her every move.

The harvest gently moved in the wind. Some birds flew by and an unseen horse whinnied. When Penny got a good look at the lovely farmhouse she couldn't but compare it to the U shaped farm her ancestors had built. Her classmates had mocked her for it but when her men had seen her family fortress on Google maps they had been thrilled. Nowadays Penny wouldn't trade her parental home for all the pretty farmhouses she had dreamt of as a girl.

She was spotted and someone ran into the house. Penny was on the alert but she put on a sunny smile. By the time she reached the house a man had come out to the porch. He had a gun and he made sure she saw it but he didn't point it at her.

´Hello sir,´ Penny said. She kept her hands where the man could see them. 'My name is Penny.´

´Hello Penny. I am Hershel Greene. This is my farm.´

´It's beautiful. And it's great to see other survivors,´ Penny said referring to the people who had followed the farmer outside.

´These are my family and neighbours.´

´Hello everyone. My name is Penny.´

She got nods for replies.

´I'm really glad to meet you and I hope you may be able to help me. I'm looking for some people. Maybe you've seen them.´

´Are they locals?´

´No they're not.´

´Come along then,´ Hershel Greene said as he stepped down. ´We've got some people camping with us and perhaps -. Oh, they're here already.´

Penny looked to her left. She saw a young Asian and an elderly man wearing a bucket hat.

´This young lady is Penny,´ Hershel told them. ´She just arrived and she's looking for some folks. You've been travelling and maybe you saw them.´

´Hello Penny,´ the eldest man pleasantly said. ´I'm Dale. This is Glenn.´

Penny didn't recognise the names and her smile faded just a notch.

´Whom are you looking for?´ Dale inquired.

´I'm looking for the mother of Sophia.´

The young man immediately turned around but the older man stopped him.

´You found Sophia?´

Penny felt like singing but she merely replied: ´Yes.´

´Good Lord! Is she alive and well?´

Moved by the man's anxiety Penny could only smile.

Dale let go of his young friend's arm and the latter ran away shouting: ´Carol!´

Dale walked toward Penny and hugged her.

´This is wonderful!´ he said. ´Wonderful!´

It is, Penny thought. And it is a burden of our shoulders and damn me for thinking that.

Behind her back Penny gave the thumbs up.

´When did you find her? Was she nearby? The poor girl must have been so afraid. I'm so happy she's unharmed!´

´We found her yesterday at a couple of miles from here.´

A nervous looking woman claimed Penny.

´You found her? You found my little girl? Is she all right?´

´Sophia is just fine,´ Penny reassured the girl's mother. The woman covered her mouth with her hand. Her eyes got teary. Smiling brightly Dale supported her.

´Where is she?´

Penny gestured toward the road: ´There they are.´

She glanced at the strangers surrounding her to find out what kind of first impression her friends made. Those who didn't smile at the prospect of seeing Sophia again cautiously eyed the approaching vehicles.

By their uniforms Penny identified Rick aka Carl's dad and Shane. Or Shane and Rick. They seemed ready to fight if need be. Proud to learn that her men didn't look like sissies Penny flashed a smile to the policemen. One of them replied by nodding. The other checked her body.

I guess that's Shane, Penny concluded.


	5. Let's talk about the weather

´_We've_ been searching for Sophia for _days_,´ Shane told Penny, ´Pretty amazing that it took you less than a day to locate us. You were lucky.´

He didn't sound as if he believed in luck.

´You can say that!´ Penny said. Shane tried to stare her down.

´It was great to see how happy you all were when you saw Sophia.´ Penny made sure her smile reached her eyes.

Shane's expression softened. ´Yeah. We lost too many already. You didn't start out with the five of you either, did you?´

Penny shook her head. When she remained silent, Shane continued: ´So you already knew each other? Howard, that's his name right? The guy with the beard? He said so.´

Penny nodded. The five of them had agreed that in dealing with strangers their motto _silence saves lives_ needed some adjustment. To satisfy the curiosity of fellow survivors they _would_ talk but only about limited subjects. The men would make short general remarks such as _We're from California_, while Penny would act the part of chatter-box.

´When I moved into my apartment - it's in Pasadena, you've ever been there?´

Shane shook his head.

´It used to be a nice place. Before the zombies came that is. Anyway, Leonard and Sheldon already lived down the hall. They had been roommates for a couple of years and they knew Raj and Howard from work. We became a fivesome.´

Shane seemed pleased with the information.

´I only knew Rick and his family before all this started,´ he offered in return, ´I met the others on the road. Howard mentioned that you're travelling to your dad's farm?´

´Yeah, it's in Nebraska. His farmhouse is not as pretty as this one but it's home.´

Looking from the house to the camping site she first spotted Raj. He was talking to Dale. Howard was talking to Rick, Glenn and one of Hershel's daughters.

Shane followed her gaze. ´Your other friends not around?´

´Leonard's on guard duty and -´

´No need for that. You're safe here.´

Penny shrugged girlishly. ´I'm safe when I have a friend standing guard.´

Shane smiled at her and then watched the camping site again. ´The other guy guarding too?´

´Sheldon went to ask Mr Greene if he could read his books on medicine.´

´Don't wanna spoil things but I doubt Hershel is gonna allow you to stay here for a long time. Your friend won't even be able to finish a single chapter.´

´Sheldon reads very fast.´

Penny had wanted to stay for half an hour at most and then leave. Within minutes they had been invited for dinner though and Hershel had offered Carol the use of his kitchen and dining room. Raj and Leonard had looked at Penny beseechingly and Howard obviously didn't want to separate from Sophia and her grateful mother just yet. Sheldon, having found out that Mr Greene was a vet, seemed in no hurry to leave either. Penny had nodded her consent and Howard had accepted the invitation as well as the farmer's offer that they'd spend the night on his grounds.

At the camping site a brunette had joined the small crowd. She hugged Sophia.

´Who's she?´ Penny asked.

´That's Lori. Come along, I'll introduce you to her,´ Shane readily said. He started walking and Penny followed him.

He's just the sort of guy I could have fallen for, Penny thought. And knowing the shit heads I dated, that's not a compliment for the man.

Meanwhile Lori gestured toward the house and Sophia, along with Hershel's daughter, hurried inside. Carol followed them. Lori was about to do the same but when Shane called out for her she walked toward him and Penny.

´Hi, I'm Lori, Rick's wife and Carl's mum.´

´And Shane's good friend,´ Shane added. Without returning his smile Lori nodded. She avoided her friend's gaze.

´This is Penny,´ Shane said, ´She's one of the people who brought Sophia back to us.´

Lori said how happy she was for Sophia's safe return and she mentioned that her son was injured but that he would be thrilled to see his friend. Penny asked her what had happened to Carl and Shane answered her question: ´After Sophia went missing he accidentally got shot. Hershel pulled him through and we can stay here until he has recovered. He's the only one who sleeps in the house.´

Penny heard annoyance in the policeman's voice. She wondered how long it would take before Hershel would be the one camping outside. Lori told her that Shane had risked his life to get Hershel the supplies he needed to perform surgery on Carl. Penny made an admiring reply which was waved away by Shane. Lori talked some more and Penny wondered whether she would have tipped her at the Cheesecake Factory. After a while Penny noticed a man she hadn't met yet.

´- could really use a hand,´ Lori said.

´I'm sorry. What did you say?´

´You wanna help prepare dinner? We could use a hand in the kitchen.´

´Oh. Well, I actually hoped to spend some time with Daryl. That's him right?´ Penny said, gesturing into the man's direction.

Shane confirmed that she was right. Not wanting him to think that she had interrogated the girl Penny smiled and said: ´Sophia saw my bow and she proudly mentioned that "Mr Daryl" had one too. It would be nice to compare techniques. See how _he_ makes arrows.´

´Okay,´ Lori said in an undertone.

Shane nodded encouragingly: ´I'm sure Daryl can teach you one or two things Penny!´

Penny greeted the two of them with a smile and –fuming inwardly- went to meet Daryl.

OoOoOoO

Being amid merry, talkative people in a room with pictures and paintings on the walls made Penny feel tense. There's no point in living when you don't hope for all this to return, she said to herself. It's good to relax! I just hope that if Raj or Leonard whistles the danger signal, I will be able to hear him.

Apart from her two friends only Dale was missing: he too stood guard. Penny's eyes darted from one face to another. Carol looked like an angel. Sophia wore a party-hat as well as a smile from ear to ear. Howard chatted pleasantly and he had already performed a magic trick. Rick, Shane and the young guy who lived here talked about a football match from the late 1990's. Glenn handed an attractive blonde woman a bowl with vegetables and he said something that made her laugh. Beth used her napkin to clean her lips before taking a sip of water.

This is so weird! Penny thought. There are zombies out there and here we are, playing house. I want to be back on the road with just the five of us.

Next to Glenn sat Daryl, who reminded her of her uncle Eric. She figured that he too felt ill at ease and as if he read her thoughts he gave her the smallest of nods. Penny winked at him and he _almost_ lifted a corner of his mouth.

T-Dog told Beth and another blonde woman why he admired Emma Thompsonˈs script for _Sense and sensibility_. ´Getting rid of so many characters wouldnˈt have been right in a series but every cut she made for the film was just perfect!´

Penny pretended not to listen to the conversation but when she smiled because of an observation T-Dog made about Mrs Jenkins, Beth asked her whether _she_ didn't just _love_ the book too. Penny felt exposed and she lied that she had only read it partly.

While on the road she had – at moments- longed to talk about normal things but all of the sudden she was convinced that it would bring bad luck. She focused on her food and the sounds of appreciation Sheldon – who sat next to her- made while he ate. Soon however Sheldon put down his cutlery. So far he had not interacted with their hosts a lot, but that was to change in three, two, one -

´I very much enjoyed this salad. Thank you,´ Sheldon said looking at Carol, but not forgetting to nod to Lori, the blonde farm woman and the Greene girls as well. He received smiles in return.

´The preparations for cooking were done by women only.´

Great subject Sheldon, Penny thought.

She had mentioned Lori's remark without commenting it. Sheldon had merely made a throatily sound in reply and he had continued to turn pages in Hershel's book. Penny now understood that he _had_ heard her.

´In most societies the esteemed work is done by men,´ Sheldon lectured. ´In your group the men kill zombies?´

Penny's mind drifted away: Would her dad acknowledge his Slugger to be an independent woman? Would she find the courage to stop acting like a daughter? Would he object if she went out to kill the dead? Would she be able to fight him? Would she be _preparing_ food instead of _serving_ it for the rest of her life while the guys made history?

´ - do that,´ Rick said. ´But so does Andrea.´

Andrea, Tricia and Johnny! Those are their names! Penny recalled.

´There will always be exceptions to prove the rule,´ Sheldon said with a shrug and he gestured toward Penny. Just like that she brightened up.

´Many women held esteemed jobs!´ Lori said.

´Absolutely!´ Rick agreed.

´There's an interesting story about an African tribe,´ Sheldon said, ´The men of that tribe hunted and they were respected for it.´

By now everyone had stopped talking to listen to Sheldon. Howard made a funny face at Penny. She stifled an old-fashioned giggle.

´The women gathered nuts and grew vegetables. Though unlike the men _they_ always brought home food, _their_ contribution to the group's survival was not esteemed. One day a male decided to see something of the world. He ended up with a tribe where the women hunted and the men collected nuts. Need I say who were praised and who were not? The man had been a proud hunter but he happily joined the men in a job he had always found degrading.´

´You know Sheldon,´ Howard said when his friend took a sip of water, ´I _missed_ your monologues.´

´Thank you, so did I. Zombies should be arrested for violating the freedom of speech!´

Sheldon laughed his wack-a-doodle laugh. Howard grinned. For a moment Penny felt perfectly happy. Sophia's group and Hershel's people looked at Sheldon with a variety of expressions.

´Do you understand my point now?´ Sheldon asked Lori. The woman looked daggers at him but Sheldon didn't get it.

´I think cooking and washing are very important!´ Lori said.

´Absolutely! Without clean clothes we will feel less human and without nutritious meals we will die and turn into zombies.´

Penny noticed that Rick's fork paused in mid-air before continuing its way to his mouth.

´They have to bite you,´ T-Dog said.

´No they don't. I thought about it and it didn't make sense. We are all infected. Should someone die: destroy his or her brain. Sticking a knitting-needle through a nostril will do the trick.´

´You're kidding right?´ Glenn asked.

´Not at all: the ancient Egyptians – ´

´We're not _infected_ right?´ Glenn interrupted Sheldon.

´Yes we are. We've seen proof of it. Someone had left an unharmed baby in a cupboard, probably to keep him safe from zombies. No one freed the child and when Leonard opened the cupboard in hopes of finding food, there it was.´

Howard helped himself to some potatoes and Penny cut a piece of her meat but the others could only stare at Sheldon, who took it for a sign that they were interested in what he had to say.

´Do you know the movie _The Sixth Sense_ by M. Night Shyamalan? In one scene you see nothing but a hall way for _seconds_. Then suddenly someone passes the camera. The entire audience in the cinema gasped when that happened, myself included. Now seeing that baby was even spookier. And when I first saw the babe Leonard's shrieking had already prepared me for an unpleasant sight, though I had thought more in the lines of a destroyed pair of Hulk hands.´

T-Dog shook his head as if to get rid of a fly. ´How can we be infected?´ he asked.

´That is a good question and one I yet have to find the answer to. A virus seems the most likely cause. Or an experiment gone wrong. Perhaps a parasite. Have you ever heard of zom-bees? It's really fascinating. You see -´

´It's a horrible idea, isnˈt it?´ Penny interrupted Sheldon before Hershel could do the same. ´When my friends first shared their theory with me, it scared me too. We fight so hard not to get bitten and yet… But what can we do except making sure that we are prepared?´

´Does this mean that we are all zombies Mr Howard?´ Sophia asked in a small voice.

´No little one,´ Howard kindly said, ´We are _humans_, all of us.´

´And should _you_ turn into a zombie Sophia -´

Penny briefly placed her hand on her friend's arm.

´What is it Penny?´

´Remember that day when I told you about cleaning a fish?´

´What a redundant question! 2 February 2008. In an attempt to win your heart Leonard asked you to come to our place for a cup of coffee. You accepted the invitation and Leonard was lucky enough to actually prepare a decent beverage. However, you spoiled the joy of finishing it by chatting about the best way to clean a trout, you did _not_ say "a fish", and I had to run to the bathroom.´

´Right,´ Penny said, keenly aware that safe Howard everyone was staring –or glaring- at Sheldon and her, ´And I learned that _some things_ were _not_ to be discussed.´

´No you did _not_ Penny. On 23 September 2008 you would have talked about castrating a bull had I not stopped you!´

Daryl smirked.

´You can't possible remember that Penny said that,´ Lori said.

´Yes I can. I have an eidetic memory. From your expression I deduct that you don't know the meaning of the word. Allow me to give you a summary by saying: Wesley Crusher from TNG.´

Zombies took over the world and Sheldon uses an abbreviation from a science fiction series to explain something, Penny said to herself. May you live long and prosper my friend!

´Most people go "Aha!" now,´ Sheldon said. ´I take it none of you is a Trekkie.´

´It is almost time to go on guard duty Sheldon,´ Penny said.

´What a shame!´ Lori said in an audible whisper.

´Thank you,´ Sheldon replied. ´But it is only fair that Raj and Leonard get their share of the fun. They guarded us and we will guard them. It will keep us safe, especially since this manor is ill defensible.´

´What do you mean?´ Hershel demanded to know.

´That it is hard to defend this house in case it is attacked,´ Sheldon slowly said.

Hershel's eyes became slits. His eldest daughter spoke before he could: ´There are fences around the house. Walkers can't climb them.´

´True. But what if dozens or hundreds of zombies push against a fence? Down it goes!´

´There aren't many walkers here.´

´We saw a few in the woods. And it has come to my understanding that you folks hold shooting practices around here.´

´Never near the house,´ Rick said.

Sheldon shrugged. ´Gun shots can be heard from miles around. As a policeman you should know that. Zombies are attracted by sounds. They _will_ come. They may not immediately find their way _here_ but -´

´Young man!´ Hershel said as he rose. ´We are safe here!´ At _safe_ he threw his napkin on the table.

Sheldon raised his eyebrows. ´Are you challenging me to a duel _Doctor_ Greene?´

Howard moaned. Penny sighed.

´I'm sorry sir,´ she said to Hershel. ´Sheldon means well. He is concerned for your well-being and it makes him forget social niceties.´

´What are silly social niceties compared to safety?´ Sheldon mumbled.

Penny smiled at Hershel beseechingly while Maggie and Beth asked their father to sit down again. He favoured their request but it did not stop him from looking at Sheldon angrily. Penny had heard a rumour about a chocolate dessert but she was glad to hear Raj's whistle.

´I'm sorry, we have to go,´ she said as she rose. ´Thank you so much for the wonderful meal. Mr Greene, thank you for your hospitality.´

She meaningfully glanced from Sheldon to their host. Sheldon, who stood also, raised his eyebrows at her.

Apologize, Penny mouthed. Sheldon looked at the ceiling but he followed her cue.

´I am sorry if you felt offended by my wise words sir,´ he said.

Penny and Sheldon left the silent room but no sooner had they taken three steps into the hall or it became rather noisy in the dining room.

Leave it to my whimsical elf to disrupt a party, Penny said to herself.


	6. Breakfast television

The wind blew against Penny's back, giving her a taste of the approaching winter. The plan was to settle at her fatherˈs farm before December and Penny figured they could still make that.

She heard a cat shriek and turned her head toward the sound. Two cats. Fighting. All was well.

Not losing sight of the job at hand she recalled that her father, who had the imagination of a brick, had believed what she had told him about zombies, right from "Leonard and the guys say". Said guys had transferred nearly four hundred thousand dollars to her father's account to buy among others solar panels, computers and fences. If her father's willingness to participate in project Z was driven by his idea that Leonard still courted his daughter, so be it. She and Leonard had broken up months ago and not long before rumours about zombies had become mainstream, Leonard had been wooed.

OoOoOoO

_´Is this or is this not your signature Dr Hofstadter?´_

_´It is Sheldon,´ Leonard replied. He sounded defeated._

_´And can you tell me about the contents of the document you signed?´_

_´Sheldon, there's no point. Leonard told Leslie about the zombie threat. So be it.´_

_´No point? How can you say that Penny? He vouched not to reveal it to anyone safe the family members mentioned in paragraph 2.1!´_

_Raj and Howard, looking very displeased, nodded._

_´So what are you gonna do?´ Penny asked Sheldon. ´Feed him to the first zombie we encounter?´_

_´Of course not.´_

_´This isn't as horrible as you think it is.´_

_´First of all: a contract is sacred Penny! And last but not least: he told her about your fatherˈs farm! She could arrive there with an army and force us to leave!´_

_It had crossed Penny's mind too but she said: ´We have scenarios to follow in that case.´_

_´I don't want to have to follow any of those scenarios. They are too bloody.´_

_Right, Penny thought, as if travelling through zombie territory won't get our clothes stained._

_´I understand that sweetie. I also understand Leonard. Leslie's his girlfriend, sort of, and he doesn't want her to get harmed. Besides, he said that she declined his invitation to travel with us. And if she and her sister make it to the farm, well, it would be good to have more women around.´_

_Howard and Raj stopped throwing Leonard angry glances._

_´What is good about that?´ Sheldon inquired._

_Penny, Raj, Howard and Leonard raised their eyebrows at their friend. _

_´Oh!´_

_Later on, when Sheldon had gone to bed and Raj and Howard had left, Leonard thanked Penny for her support._

_´I think you will like Leslie,´ he said as he poured Penny a glass of wine. ´She believed me. Well first she was grinning but when she saw my expression she became serious too. My siblings laughed when I told them. So did dad. Mother recommended a therapist. Typical huh?´_

_Penny didn't say he had already told her about his family's reaction to his warning. _

_´Now take _your _dad,´ Leonard continued. ´People who are practically strangers told him to turn his farm into a real fortress and to have the well in the courtyard restored and he did it! _He _didn't tell us to grow up, like Raj's sister did.´_

_´But she contacted him again. And afterwards she made their parents fortify the house and buy food and water supplies.´_

_´In case the needy attack and in case of hyper-inflation,´ Leonard said with an Indian accent._

_´It was a smart move. How else would she have gotten her parents to comply?´_

_Leonard shrugged. ´Your dad is really cool,´ he said. ´He believed us. Look at those pictures he sent. Making rooms at the attic to house us, that's just wonderful.´_

_´Yeah.´_

_´We will have a real home.´_

_´Your family might not join us there…´ _

_Leonard drained his drink and stared at his glass._

_´You guys are family too,´ he said. _

OoOoOoO

The wind gathered strength and it started to rain. From the corner of her eye Penny saw a small creature flash by. She concluded that it was the loser of the cat fight and she expected it to lick its wounds in the barn that stood some hundred and fifty metres ahead. The cat ran the other way, into the fields.

Must have a concussion, Penny thought.

From behind her came laughter. The innocent sound made her shiver.

Will I ever be able to appreciate normal things or will I be an annoying old lady who orders people to keep their voices down? Penny thought. To be a wrinkled grey-haired woman… Iˈd love to become one.

OoOoOoO

The next morning Penny was emptying her bladder when she heard someone do the same. A moment after she stepped out of the bushes that had given her a little privacy Rick emerged too. They greeted each other a bit awkwardly.

´Going to have breakfast Penny?´

´Yes. Carol said there will be real bread. I don't say no to such a treat.´

The two of them walked toward the camping site.

´What do you normally eat for breakfast?´

´Insects.´

Rick grinned. ´Sophia said your breakfast of pure protein tasted great.´

Penny smirked.

´Run out of energy bars?´

Penny knew exactly how much food they had but she replied: ´I hope not.´

She and Rick waved at Shane who was guarding on top of Dale's camper.

´We found some bars in a store,´ Penny continued, ´We save them for emergencies.´

Rick nodded. Penny expected him to question her about their supplies but instead he looked ahead and in a casual tone he said: ´Leonard was up early. He was using a walkie-talkie.´

Rick's hand rested on his empty holster. Penny wondered if he pictured Leonard to have summoned the rest of their gang.

´Did he look happy?´

Rick looked puzzled.

´Oh well of course not or he would have told us. Silly me. Leonard has a friend. Leslie. They just started dating before the zombies came. Every morning he contacts her but she hasn't responded in weeks.´

´I have a walkie-talkie too. I use it to try and contact a man who helped me in the beginning. Maybe you already heard but I was in a coma when it started. Woke up and found this world.´

´That's horrible!´

Rick shrugged. ´I guess we all got a wake-up call huh?´

´Yeah!´

´You guys seem to have sorted things out though. Sophia mentioned a cooking device Howard made?´

Penny smiled. ´They get along fine those two. Howard's an engineer. Making stuff is in his blood. You know: I used to make fun of the guys for being preppers -´

´Preppers?´

´Yeah. They figured that solar flames would cause chaos on earth, you know: disrupting electronic devices and all and they made sure they were prepared for it. Of course zombies aren't solar flames, but many things the guys planned for come in really handy.´

´It would be great if Howard could make our engines as silent as the ones on your Vespas.´

´We wanna leave this morning but you can always ask him right? It might not take a lot of time.´

They had neared the camping site. There was a table with food on it but no one was eating: T-Dog, Andrea, Glenn, Carol and Sophia gathered around Howard and Sheldon and looked at a piece of paper.

´What's that guys?´ Penny asked.

Howard and Sheldon looked up.

´Just a plan to fortify this place,´ Sheldon said.

Penny reached out and Sheldon handed her the piece of paper.

´Does Hershel know about it?´ Penny sharply said.

Silence.

Penny folded the paper. ´This is _his_ farm. He needs to be involved.´

´Our safety is at stake!´ T-Dog said.

´So is _his_,´ Penny replied. ´I will show it to him.´

She walked toward the house. Behind her people started to argue.

OoOoOoO

Hershel Greene was standing on his porch.

´Good morning Mr Greene.´

´Good morning Penny. I hope you slept well?´

´Like a rose,´ Penny lied. ´Could I have a word with you please?´

Hershel's smile faded away. ´Yes, you can.´

Penny handed the famer the sketch. ´My friends made a plan to improve your defences.´

Hershel reluctantly looked at the piece of paper.

´They are very intelligent. When _they_ make a defence plan you can count on two things: it is _necessary_ and it's _flawless_.´

´What's this line?´

´I think it's a wall.´

Hershel shook his head and was about to return the sketch when his daughters stepped outside.

´A wall?´ Maggie said.

´Penny's friends made this. It's a plan to improve our defences.´

Maggie and Beth studied the drawing their father handed them.

´What's this?´ Beth asked.

´Why don't we ask Howard to explain?´ Penny said.

Hershel strode off to the camping site.

OoOoOoO

Howard was sensitive enough to eye the Greenes only. Hershel and his daughters listened attentively to what he had to say but they refused to sit down. Someone had persuaded Sophia's people to focus on their food. Sheldon turned pages in a book with pictures of brains in it.

When Howard was done talking Hershel slowly said: ´Seems like you gave it a lot of thought. I thank you for that. Your plan won't be executed though. Not only does it seem too radical to me, but even if it didn't, it's just the five of us here. It would take months just to dig a trench.´

´Well, in this plan, and I hope none of you people mind, ´ Howard said looking around to include the non-Greenes, ´but we started from the principle that you would all stay here.´

Hershel was about to retort when Howard raised his hands in an apologetic way and said: ´I know I know, Sophia's people prefer to go to Fort Bening.´

Hershel had not expected this reply. Penny took an educated guess at Howard's intention and Rick and Andrea were the first to take advantage of it. For the next minute or so they played hard to get as Howard made them picture life at a farm. Maggie came to Howard's aid, saying that it was better to grow your own food than to roam abandoned houses in search for leftovers.

´Right dad?´

Hershel seemed sorry to be involved but he agreed with his daughter. When Andrea shook her head at his response, very much the city-dweller Penny pictured her to have been, it triggered Hershel to say that at times like these the best way to survive was to live in the countryside.

´I agree with Mr Greene Andrea,´ Glenn said.

´I like the defence plan,´ Maggie told her father. ´I think Howard is right.´

Hershel shook his head.

´Dad, other people might find us. It happened twice so far and in both cases they didn't mean us harm. What if others _do_?´

Without looking up from his book Sheldon said: ´You are right to be concerned Maggie. A couple of weeks ago _we_ were attacked too. Some mean men wanted to steal Chetak, Llamrei and Roheryn.´

´Those are the names of their Vespas,´ Sophia proudly explained.

Sheldon nodded at the girl and continued to read. Dale joined the group and Rick gestured him to stand next to him.

´I meant to ask you what the names mean Mr Howard,´ Sophia said. She briefly glanced at Miss Silence Saves Lives.

With the farmer softly talking to his eldest daughter, Howard felt he could answer Sophia's question.

´The Vespas are named after famous horses from both history and fiction.´

´I like that! You always ride Roheryn, donˈt you?´

Hershel and Maggie were still talking. Rick briefly spoke to Dale.

´Yes I do. It is named after Aragorn's horse.´

´Who is Aragorn?´

Sheldon, turning yet another page, huffed. Howard answered Sophia's questions. Penny focused on the conversation between Hershel and Maggie. She only caught words.

´… my farm my say!´ Hershel said.

´…name… Glenn!´ Maggie told him a few lines later on.

´…five of us… best!´ Hershel wanted to conclude the argument. Maggie made a reply however and Hershel stepped back as if she'd hit him. Beth, who stood near them, looked at her sister wide eyed. She tried to grab her hand but Maggie walked toward Glenn.

Howard stopped talking about Rana Pratap who had owned a four legged Chetak. Sophia told him that if _she_ would ever have a vehicle she would give it a name too and in one breath she addressed the farmer.

´Mr Hershel Greene, I like it here. I would like to stay. I can work. I know how to grow strawberries and I can knit and I can help make the wall. We can all do that. And my mum can cook and sew. Mr Daryl is a brave huntsman. Mr Dale knows all about motors and Mr T-Dog -´

Sophia was startled into silence when Sheldon closed his book with a bang. Carol put her arm around her daughter.

´Done,´ Sheldon said. Glancing at his watch he added: ´And well before we are due to leave.´

Looking at Hershel Sheldon asked: ´Would you like to question me about the book?´

The farmer stared at Maggie.

´I take it you were impressed by our plan?´

Hershel now looked at Sheldon but not too kindly.

´If I were you,´ Sheldon said, ´I wouldn't waste a moment to get to work. There's a lot to be done. It may seem overwhelming though and if you want me to do so I will note down the best order to execute things. With so many hands at hand you will soon see progress.´

´It is _my_ decision who can live here,´ Hershel said.

´I agree. But you'd be a fool if you would send them away. Just as _they_ would be foolish to opt for Fort Bening. By now it will be swarmed with zombies. They'd have to kill all of them to get in and who knows what they will face once they're inside?´

´I wanted to object to your choice of words yesterday,´ Hershel said, ´but we were having dinner so _I_ decided to remain polite.´

´Which words are you objecting to?´

´Which one to you think I find repulsive?´ Hershel spoke through clenched teeth.

´Only one then? Is it "fool"?´

´I think Hershel objects to "zombies" Sheldon,´ Andrea said in a-how-dumb-must-you-be-not-to-get-it-tone of voice.

The farmer nodded. ´Yes I do. How can you call them by such a degrading name?´

Sophia looked down at her plate.

´Well I suppose I could call them stumbling corpses with an appetite for animal flesh, not excluding human flesh but that is such a mouthful isnˈt it?´

Hershel looked away from Maggie and Glenn who had a whispered yet heated discussion.

´Calling them zombies is like using the N word!´ Hershel cried out.

´I must object to that. A zombie will never feel insulted for it doesn't understand language. Most zombies have undamaged throats which leads to the conclusion that they still have vocal cords. Nonetheless they only moan for their brain died and only the primal part was switched back on. FYI: speech is controlled by _advanced_ parts of the brain.´

Tricia arrived at the camping site and started handing people an egg each.

´Apart from that: there is no difference between black people and white people but for the colour of their skin which is a mere trifle. Well except when you end up in a desert I suppose but then: a black skin may offer some protection against the burning sun but it wonˈt stop you from dying of thirst. Oh an egg! Thank you so much! It is very smart of you to keep chicken. They provide eggs, flesh, manure and feathers and their in-out ratio is very economical. You will have noticed that the poultry-house is situated within the wall you must build. Now the zom- stumbling corpses with an appetite for animal flesh, not excluding human flesh…´

Sheldon looked at Penny. She sighed inwardly and smiled at him. He smugly continued.

´…on the other hand are _dead_. We are alive. Infected yes, but alive. The difference between dead and alive is _not_ a trifle.´

´They are _sick _and you speak of _killing_ them. That is wrong. Dead people don't walk. Dead people don't eat.´

Oh my! Penny thought. She figured that there must be zombies making their way to the farm from time to time. When Hershel didn't kill them, who did? Penny opted for Maggie who, for all her fine features, looked fierce.

Not surprisingly, Sheldon was the only one to respond to Hershel's remark.

´_Living _people talk. _Living_ people don't feed on people. _Living_ people might name the sixth noble gas. Anyone? Not you Howard.´

Hershel turned red but Sheldon didn't notice: he looked at Glenn and raised his eyebrows. The young man's expression showed incomprehension which made Sheldon smile.

´They are merely sick!´ Hershel cried out.

Sheldon eyed his host and shook his head. ´It's like talking to a wall,´ he told Howard.

´Eat your egg while it's still warm Sheldon,´ Howard said.

Penny rose and walked toward Hershel. She pulled back a chair for him. ´You are upset. Please have a seat sir.´

She smiled at the man in an _I understand what you are going through _way.

´Oh goodie!´ Sheldon exclaimed as he carefully peeled his egg.

Hershel looked at him and sank down. Penny squatted next to his chair. Lowering her voice as if she didn't want Sheldon to hear, she said: ´I could ask my friend to apologize again, but honestly: he wouldn't understand why. _I am_ sorry he upset you.´

´Well, the Lord has many children,´ Hershel replied after a moment.

´Do you think the creatures you don't want to be called zombies are his children?´ Sheldon asked.

Penny rose.

´They are _sick_,´ Hershel insisted. ´We are all children of God! Every day I pray that this disease that is plaguing us will be taken from us.´

´That is what my mother will be doing too,´ Sheldon said. ´All I can hope for is that Jesus will tell her to stop praying and start smashing zombie brains. They are not sick. They are dead and they want to eat us alive.´

´Some of them are nearly decomposed,´ Carol said before Hershel could reply to Sheldon's remark. ´I guess _they_ are beyond help. But maybe in the future a medicine will be made to cure those who are freshly bitten.´

Hershel nodded his thanks for her support.

´That would be great!´ Andrea played along.

´Yes it _would_ be! Having a time travelling machine would be _great_ also. Or having a wand to go to Middle-earth.´

Rick cleared his throat. ´I think you've made your point Sheldon. Hershel regards the walkers -´

The policeman looked at Hershel as if to request his permission for choosing the word, ignoring the fact that it had been used before. Hershel nodded his consent. Penny felt that Sophia's people were getting the hang of it. Hershel couldn't fail to think favourably about _them_ when comparing them to the king of wack-a-doodles.

´- from a Christian point of view and that is commendable.´

Oh yeah. He is desperate to stay, Penny thought.

´Will you also treat _these_ people in a Christian way dad?´ Maggie asked.

´I helped them. I fed them. I allowed them to stay here.´

Rick nodded.

´Until Carl is recovered,´ Maggie reminded her father. ´And then what?´

Not letting go of Glenn's hand Maggie gestured toward Sophia. ´She's an innocent girl. Are you really going to send her away? Is that what being a Christian is all about?´

´It would be good to have more people around dad,´ Beth pleaded in a small voice.

´Penny,´ Hershel said staring at his eldest daughter.

´Yes sir?´

´What would your father do when people showed up at his farm?´

´What would they want?´

´To live with him.´

´He'd study them I guess. If he had room for them and _if_ they were good people, he'd allow them to stay.´

Penny wanted to remind Hershel of something and she added: ´Provided they live by his rules though. I suppose he wouldn't want them to wear weapons near the farm any more than you do.´

Penny had a screw driver in each of her boots and a knife up her sleeve. Howard and Sheldon were not unarmed either but they kept that to themselves.

Hershel didn't respond. He stared at his eldest daughter.

´These are _good people_ dad! They outnumber us and they have weapons yet they _didn't_ kick us out! They had no way of knowing Sophia was alive yet they kept looking for her. Please! We can make this work!´

´Rick,´ Hershel said after a moment, ´walk with me.´


	7. A home from home

In front of Penny all was peaceful. The most remarkable thing that she'd seen was Shane and Patricia leaving on horseback and returning with supplies. Soon afterwards they left again to plunder some more.

Later in the morning a sweaty Carol brought Penny an apple and a kiss on her cheek.

Birds flew over.

Johnny waved at her on his way to the barn. He returned carrying an axe.

It was well after noon when Daryl dropped by to hand her an egg sandwich.

´Sorry it took so long,´ he said in a barely audible voice. ´Girl's never made bread before. You eat, I guard.´

Without hesitation Penny handed him her bow. Daryl didn't linger once she had eaten. A long time after he left footsteps neared. Again it wasn't one of her men. Beautiful elf-like Beth came without food.

´Is everything all right?´ the young woman softly asked.

Penny nodded. Beth sat down a few metres in front of Penny so she could eye her without blocking her view. It annoyed Penny that her visitor was so sensible.

´It's getting colder huh?´ Beth said.

Penny shrugged.

´My dad's on the attic to see how many rooms can be created there. I'm sure that there's room for your group as well…´

´We have a home waiting for us,´ Penny said. Her voice sounded gruff from lack of talking and it perfectly copied her mood.

Beth got to her feet. ´You don't _have_ to leave Penny. Rajesh and Leonard love it here.´

Beth left but her parting words didn't. Penny reasoned that Beth might as well have said _Rajesh, Leonard and Howard_. Yesterday evening at their own little camping side her men had whispered enthusiastically about the problems they had faced and solved. Penny had mentioned the intellectual challenges that awaited them at their destination and they'd nodded politely. She had managed to suppress her thoughts on the subject so far but Beth's visit had made it clear: the Greene farm was for real and her home might as well be a mirage. Raj and Howard could not look forward to a family reunion and Leonard had remarked more than once that to his mother zombies would be like guinea pigs that wouldn't hurt _her_: he didn't expect to see her or his father and siblings ever again. Penny had tried to lessen the Greene appeal – for Leonard at least- by dropping the name _Leslie_. Was it enough though? Would her men wave their goodbyes tomorrow and head for the unknown just as they were supposed to do? Raj and Beth might make a good couple...

Something moving in her field of vision made her scold herself for letting her mind drift away but even as she lifted her bow she knew that there were no zombies approaching. Shane and Patricia had returned and their horses had even more to carry than on their first trip.

Don't worry about things that may or may not be, Penny told herself.

As long as she heard the horses behind her she was able to follow her own advice but soon she found herself thinking that Leonard, after yet another unsuccessful try to contact Leslie, might conclude that his girlfriend was chewing someone's calf right now.

Would she and Sheldon be able to leave their friends behind? How could she be sure that her men were safe when she wasn't around to protect them? How could she _not_ travel home where her arrival was expected? She had happily left her family to embark a future in the spotlights but now (despite being anxious about her life-to-be) she couldn't wait to be home and she needed to bring the best part of her future with her: her four friends.

Focus! Penny urged herself: when you guard, you guard. And so she did until Daryl came to take over her watch so she could have dinner.

Walking toward the farmhouse Penny was astonished to see how much had been done. The trench had grown substantially and where it was merely a line on the grass barbed-wire fences had appeared. Penny went toward Leonard and T-Dog who were strengthening the base of the wall that had been made from the trench's earth. She gave them the thumbs up. T-Dog, looking like a giant, smiled in reply but Leonard didn't seem to notice her. He briefly massaged his shoulder and continued to work. Penny shrugged and walked on. Hershel's small shovel now run silently and Glenn manoeuvred it effortlessly. He returned her wave. Sheldon walked toward her from the picnic table where he'd held office.

´Hello Penny,´ he whispered, ´We're in the same meal shift again so I decided to wait for you. I have something to tell you.´

Penny swallowed hard and pictured herself leaving all alone.

´First of all: we forgot about the Nag moment. Would you believe that Sophia was the one to remind me of it?´

´I guess you didn't have anything to nag about? You like working here, don't you?´

´Yes I do. Writing down instructions is fun. It would be preferable if I could work with robots though. I needed to communicate something to Jimmy -´

´Who's Jimmy?´

´The farm boy who lives here.´

´His name is Johnny.´

´I have it from the horse's mouth that his name is Jimmy. Anyway, he didn't understand me at all. If Raj hadn't dropped by to share the news that Lori is pregnant -´

´What?!´

´That was _my _initial reaction too!´ Sheldon softly exclaimed. ´Later on I crossed some sort of line again for Lori turned red though I merely told her that a crying baby would lure zombies from miles away and that it was therefore not smart to have sexual intercourse without taking care of protection. Of course I realize that one can't just visit a doctor to get the Pill or even go to a drugstore to get condoms but how hard can it be to keep track of one's fertile days?´

They reached the farm's porch and Rick putting a water-butt in place made Sheldon nod approvingly. With a pleased expression he looked at the detailed work-schedule attached next to the front door.

´This will be a good place to live once our plan is executed Penny,´ he said before entering the house. Penny wiped her feet and slowly followed Sheldon inside. From upstairs she heard muffled hammering: Howard and Hershel would be working there. When she heard Carol's voice she walked to its source rather than entering the kitchen.

Carol was seated at a tiny table in a small room with build-in closets. Her hand was being bandaged by Hershel.

´I will see if I have gloves for you,´ the vet said.

´Thank you but I won't have to sharpen poles again until tomorrow. I was on my way to Raj who will teach me how to make candles. Oh hi Penny!´

Hershel looked over his shoulder. ´Good afternoon Penny.´

´Hello. Do you have blisters Carol?´

´Yes, but just a few,´ Carol said with a shrug.

Seeing Penny glance at boxes filled with books Hershel said: ´This will be my new office.´

Carol blushed and Penny suspected that Hershel's former office would become Carol and Sophia's room.

´I admire the way you fit everyone in,´ Penny said sincerely. Had it been _her_ farm she would have told some people to seek shelter in the barn to avoid a crowded house.

´So do I,´ Carol said. She sought eye-contact with the farmer and when he merely hummed and continued his task she remarked that she was glad that they wouldn't have to stay outdoors any more. ´Don't you fear the cold season Penny?´

´I hope it will freeze heavily for _months_. According to the guys the walkers will be slower then and they might even freeze over.´

Reading Hershel's back Penny was sure he was going to speak but he remained silent. Perhaps he'd realized in time that she hadn't used the Z word.

´I would like you to be as safe -´ Carol started.

´I'd better go now before I mess up the schedule,´ Penny interrupted her.

She was the last of her shift to arrive in the kitchen. Everyone looked tired and the scent of sweat mixed with that of roasted meat. Sophia's face was red from agitation but she declined the help Beth and Dale offered her. Sheldon removed pages from a calendar on a wall.

´There. Sophia, you and Lori are going to work in the kitchen and Lori will probably get sick every morning, so I'm tasking _you_ to keep this calendar up to date.´

Not waiting for a reply he placed the torn out pages on a side table. ´Please keep these,´ he said to no one in particular, ´for they contain historical facts. Well: limited historical facts which a layman may find new and exciting yet they might serve as a primitive high school history book for young Sophia and Carl. And Carl's future brother or sister.´

Shane started telling Sheldon about the stuff he and Patricia had found.

´Bringing canned baby milk was a smart move,´ Sheldon admitted while sitting down. ´Lori must be in her late thirties and there is always a chance that she won't -´

Penny placed a hand on Sheldon's arm and finished his line: ´- be able to feed the baby.´ She was glad that by then Sophia placed the first pan on the table. While everyone was eating no conversation was made: they knocked off their meal rather than dine together.

´It was a commendable try Sophia. Please tell Lori so too,´ Sheldon said after putting down his cutlery. Penny was sure he was going to criticize the cooking and though that was preferable over more plainly-spoken baby talk, she quickly asked Sophia whether Howard had shown her how to use her bat. The girl, who was frying potatoes for the second shift, replied affirmatively.

´Good,´ Sheldon said, ´A weapon is a burden unless you know how to use it. Apart from that having multiple skills will be beneficial for both you and the group. That's why one of your future tasks will be making arrows.´

Sophia nodded earnestly and said: ´I'm really glad we can stay here.´

´I know: you've said so before. Having found one's destination _is_ a cause for joy. Many people say that the journey leading to the destination is most rewarding but they never considered travelling through a zombie invaded country. Apart from that most of them would have ignored the best possible way to travel: by train. Does anyone like trains?´

Andrea looked alarmed and started chatting with her flattered table-companion Jimmy. Maggie started to clear the table even though not everyone had finished their plate yet. Shane looked at Sheldon Godfather-style. Dale responded to Sheldon's inquiry with a kind: ´Sure.´

Penny knew that this reply was nearly as insulting as a plain _no_ but Sheldon had not been able to talk about trains for ages and he merely blinked a few times before entering into one of his favourite subjects. In the middle of a line about the tractive power of Texas's first locomotive Sheldon stopped short after glancing at his watch. ´Our twenty minutes have passed. Everyone back to their stations!´

Sheldon smirked at his own wit and rose. He thanked Sophia for his _nutritious_ meal, nodded at the others and meaningfully glanced at Penny.

´On my way Captain,´ Penny said.

Sheldon had already left the kitchen but he replied: ´Since we were talking about trains you could have addressed me as _conductor_.´

Shane made a face but Dale laughed. When Penny walked passed the older man he briefly touched her arm and said: ´Us being able to stay here is a blessing. And so is the fact that you're here to help us.´

Penny smiled at him as good-humouredly as she could. Dale was among those who didn't stop expressing his gratitude and she feared what might come. Sure enough Dale addressed the Greene women: ´Don't you think that your father wants Penny and her friends -´

As if it was impolite to stay being the object of conversation Penny left without waiting for Dale to finish his line.

She had barely closed the kitchen door behind her or she run into Lori who carried a pile of folded towels.

´If you move in Sheldon will have to change,´ the woman said by way of a greeting. Penny didn't immediately have a reply at hand.

´Living so confined with so many people politeness is key!´ Lori continued. ´I don't understand how you can deal with him! He's rude and haughty and a firebrand!´

´His views on social interaction are different from that of most men,´ Penny said. ´But what have I heard? You're pregnant right? Congratulations!´

Penny's bright smile softened Lori's features.

´I wish the baby could be born in a normal world,´ Lori confided. ´But we're here now and Hershel's a real doctor so I don't fear the future.´

The women smiled at each other and Lori announced that she was going to check on her son. Penny slowly walked to the front door. A baby… The child would grow up with stories about the Golden Days of Mankind. Electricity, schools, internet. How could one explain internet? Or supermarkets, piped water, sewerage, the concept of law and order? How to make her or him believe that once upon a time people went out to get some cheesecake and a movie? Would Lori's daughter or son ever get to read Beth's copy of _Sense and sensibility_ and if so, would Marianne's problems seem trivial?

Sheldon stood waiting on the porch. ´To pick up on what I mentioned before Penny: If Raj hadn't dropped by I would still be trying to talk some sense into Jimmy. I think the boy's IQ is a hundred points lower than mine. Raj could fortunately bridge the gap. Now would _you_ care to nag?´

´No thank you Sheldon.´

´So you like it here?´

Penny stared ahead.

´This place has its appeal,´ Sheldon remarked, ´The land is fine farmer's land, there's horsepower and poultry as well as fire-wood and game from the forest and with the improvements we've initiated the property will be defensible and manageable. Of course the inhabitants wouldn't even make it as rocket-scientists but all in all they are a good set of women and men. Yes, I think -´

´Sheldon! Are you saying that you wanna _stay_?´

´Good lord no! What a bizarre idea!´

Penny wrapped her arms around her friend.

´Penny really!´

Penny stepped back and Sheldon touched his breast-pocket. ´Well smiling Penny,´ he said awkwardly, ´I'm resuming my task; I suggest you do the same.´

OoOoOoO

Late in the evening Penny was relieved from guard duty by Howard. Had she met him right after blurting out her question to Sheldon she would have made _him_ speak out too but in the passing hours her optimistic mood had disappeared and she'd again grown anxious for what he, Raj and Leonard would do.

OoOoOoO

´Breakfast looks great Sophia,´ Rick said. ´Why don't you go and bring Carl a cup of tea? He'd love to talk to you.´

Though it was clear that Sophia liked the proposition she dutifully asked: ´Will you be all right?´

Rick assured her that everything was just fine. The girl prepared a small tray and left the kitchen to crack her way upstairs.

´Would you care to tell us about child-walkers?´ Rick asked Sheldon.

So he remembers our festive dinner conversation, Penny thought. She spread the pinch of marmalade that Sophia had granted her on her slice of bread. The gesture informed Sheldon that he could set off and he enthusiastically did: ´We were unable to study child-_zombies_ properly but we are sure they remember something. Nothing significant like E equals MC squared or that Alcyone is the brightest star in the Pleiades mind you. Now a child's brain is wired differently from an adult's brain as you should know.´

´Does that mean that young walkers are less dangerous?´ T-Dog asked.

´Of course not! They'll still want to eat you. Should there be a turned child wandering near Penny's farm I will ask Penny to capture it – unless it's your nephew Penny, who might be too old already by the way - and knock out its teeth.´

People stopped chewing except for Penny who'd just taken a bite and tried to eat it as fast as possible.

´I'd like to test whether that is similar to removing a cat's balls, ´ Sheldon pleasantly continued. ´A gelded cat may still ruin your furniture however so the next step might have to be to remove the child-zombie's arms.´

´You're digressing Sheldon.´

´I am, am I not? Thank you Penny. As I said: children remember something. How do we know? Well: we once saw a child carrying a Kermit doll and we reasoned that it was a living child. When Raj called out to him he turned around and it proved to be a zombie.´

´So? The boy held the doll when he was turned and -´ Maggie started.

Sheldon shook his head. ´How many zombies carry things? Backpacks don't count Maggie. When the little zombie saw us it came for us, one _arm _outstretched and _teeth_ showing as befits a zombie, but the remarkable thing was that it cradled Kermit closer.´

´_I_ saw a little walker girl pick up a teddy bear,´ Rick shared.

´Still that's only two examples,´ Glenn said.

´Well spoken,´ Sheldon agreed condescendingly, ´But given the fact that bitten children are easily consumed resulting in only a handful of child zombies, it is logical to conclude that the fact that those we encountered acting the way they did is meaningful.´

Sheldon waited a moment for Glenn's response and when he understood that he waited in vain he remarked: ´If only I had an MRI scanner at my disposal…´

He got the faraway look that indicated that his brain was at full speed. Rick tried to make eye-contact with Penny but she ignored him as well as the glances going on between Glenn, Maggie, T-Dog and Patricia. Carol and Dale seemed to have gotten used to the amazing doctor Cooper.

A sigh indicated that Sheldon had landed again. ´A child's brain may be the key to a solution,´ he said, ´Oh at times I wish I were a neurologist.´

Several listeners nodded understandingly and Sheldon smirked.

´Bazinga!´

The faces of her company, Sheldon's mirth and the tension she felt about the unknown plans of her other men made Penny laugh out loud.

OoOoOoO

Right after breakfast Rick and Maggie left to get bedding, clothes and crockery from neighbouring houses. Penny, seeing Leonard at the Pasadena camping spot, followed Maggie and Rick to the stables and caressed Maggie's horse.

´Wanna try her later on?´ the farmer's daughter asked. She fastened a couple of saddle bags. Rick adjusted the straps of his empty backpack.

´Perhaps,´ Penny said. She pretended not to see the meaningful glance that passed between her companions. Maggie assured her that she was welcome to ride and told her partner that it was time to go.

Penny collected her bow and arrows and took her stand. Four hours until D-noon.

OoOoOoO

Within forty minutes after she'd started her shift Sheldon joined her. It unnerved Penny that he merely stood next to her.

´What is it Sheldon?´

´A policeman of all people shouldn't damage things,´ he uttered.

Did this have to do with their friends? Or their Vespas? Penny looked at Sheldon. He held two pieces of cardboard. One had the letters ´SAG´ on it and the other read ´AN'S WALL´.

´It's only fitting that the walls have names,´ Sheldon whispered. ´Leave it to them and they come up with _north wall, east wall_…´

Sheldon paused.

´I thought Sagan would be easy to remember for the _south_ wall. Newton for north of course. All hail Newton. Then Wolverine and Elrond to combine strength and wisdom.´

Something must have happened or Shane wouldn't have destroyed the name-plate but the childlike sadness in Sheldon's voice moved Penny.

´I hesitated between Sagan and you,´ Sheldon whispered.

Penny briefly glanced at him to find him staring at his guide. Not long afterwards she heard a soft cry: the wind had caught Sheldon's sealed picture of Mr Spock. Sheldon, looking panicked, first took a file from his boot before following his hero toward the barn. When the physicist was at some eight metres from the building the wind laid down and the Vulcan whirled to Earth. Sheldon secured Spock in his breast-pocket and triumphantly smiled at Penny. He was about to put his weapon back where it came from when instead he moved a step closer to the barn.

Penny heard footsteps nearing that turned out to announce Hershel.

´What's Sheldon doing there?´

Surprised at the anger in his voice Penny casually replied: ´He lost his talisman.´

Sheldon came running toward them. Without a conscious thought Penny caressed the trigger of her bow.

´Danger!´ Sheldon whispered when he'd reached them, ´They're in the barn!´


	8. A fool's paradise

´They? There are only tools in the barn Sheldon,´ Hershel said.

´There are zombies in there. I heard them!´

´You heard the wind,´ the farmer said with a strained smile. ´Now we're distracting Penny from guarding I'm afraid. Why don't you go back to your impressive manuals Sheldon, then I'll fetch some tools and return to assist Howard in making a partition-wall. He's very good in dividing space.´

Hershel confidently nodded at them and walked toward the barn.

´Penny!´ Sheldon whispered urgently, ´I _heard_ them.´

Penny looked from the barn to the house and she shivered. Sheldon again whispered her name as if she needed to be convinced.

OoOoOoO

When Penny and Sheldon rounded a corner of the barn they saw Hershel step from a ladder unto the barn's attic. Penny – reasoning that the zombies would somehow be confined – climbed up, followed by Sheldon.

´Stop it right there young lady!´ Hershel ordered when he noticed her. He held gloves, a hammer and a leveling-instrument. Penny ignored him and Sheldon didn't heed the warning either.

´This is none of your business! Leave!´ Hershel tried but his guests had entered the attic and stared at the barn's ground floor. It was filled with zombies.

Sheldon was the first to find his tongue: ´What _possessed_ you doctor Greene?´

´These are my family and friends,´ Hershel said. 'I give them shelter and food until someone finds a cure for their illness.´

A muscle near Sheldon's eye started twitching. ´Food?! Are you crazy sir?!´

Taking a step toward the edge of the floor Hershel gestured toward a particular zombie: ´She is my _wife_!´

The zombie was among those that reached out to Hershel.

´See? She recognizes me. Penny, put away that bow!´

´_It_ recognizes _meat_,´ Sheldon said, ´And so do the others. Now tell me sir: do sick people survive an arrow in their heart?´

´Of course not.´

´Shoot one Penny.´

Hershel took a step toward Penny. ´Don't even think of it! They are sick! They don't hurt _anyone_. My farm my barn my say!´

A hand appeared on top of the ladder followed by a head. Jimmy entered the attic.

´Saw you go up,´ he told Hershel. ´Came to see if you're all right.´

Hershel inclined his head. ´Everything is fine. I'll fetch some stuff and then we're leaving.´

´You _knew_ about this?´ Sheldon asked Jimmy.

The boy glanced at the excited zombies and defiantly replied: ´Yeah. They don't do harm. You just have to know how to handle them.´

Hershel smiled approvingly. ´Can you help me fetch the clothes-wringer Jim?´

´Sure.´

´We are already using one,´ Hershel chatted, ´but with Rick's people joining us we're going to need more of everything.´

Penny looked from Sheldon to the zombies to Hershel, who was now whistling, possibly to counter the snarling of his family and friends on the floor. The wringer stood between other stuff. Jimmy and Hershel pulled at it together which proved to be inconvenient. Jimmy, young and strong, told Hershel that he'd try it alone.

_They're crazy! _Sheldon mouthed. Penny agreed but mixed with the anger she felt was a tinge of sadness. She launched an arrow. The sound of it made Hershel stop giving instructions to Jimmy. He looked from Penny to the zombies. None of them had gone down.

´You are lucky you missed,´ Hershel said. His eyes had turned into slits.

´The one with the green boots,´ Penny replied.

Hershel located the patient. In a trembling voice he said: ´You're lucky not to have hit his vital organs.´

´What?!´ Sheldon exclaimed.

´Jim, we must find a way to get Dave out,´ Hershel said, ´I need to remove that arrow from his chest.´

´You ought to be removed from the medical profession sir!´

Jimmy angrily looked at Sheldon and told Hershel that he'd give him a hand. ´Just one more pull, I almost have it.´

The last pull did indeed move the wringer but Jimmy had pulled too hard and the surplus sent him backwards. His right leg dangled above the open space. The zombies made encouraging sounds. Jimmy, startled, wildly moved his arms to balance himself but that didn't help him at all. He hit the ground floor with a thud and cried out in agony. The zombies closed in on him and the first one already dropped itself by his broken leg ere Hershel had found his voice: ´No! That's Jimmy!´

´Mum it's me!´ Jimmy screamed. He awkwardly moved backwards but another hungry zombie bit his shoulder.

´Muuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmm!´ Jimmy wailed. The zombie that used to be his mother sank its teeth in his leg. Hershel yelled at his loved ones to stop. Jimmy kept crying out. Penny moved to another spot on the attic and Sheldon went after her. ´You're not going in Penny!´

´Help him!´ Hershel cried out.

Penny pulled the trigger and cut off Jimmy's cry. Hershel sank to his knees. The pack continued to enjoy their meal; ripping off flesh and sucking on entrails. Sheldon looked aghast. Hershel's upper body slowly swayed backwards and forwards.

Penny thought the farmer was only aware of the hell below him but after eternal seconds he said: ´Kill them. Please. Her too.´

Penny targeted Hershel's late wife. Added to the sounds of the zombies feasting and Hershel's whimpering was the buzzing of a bow. With three arrows left Penny walked around the attic to see if she'd missed anything.

´I think it's clear,´ she concluded. Sheldon made a round too and stood next to her.

´I agree,´ he said.

´The bodies need to be taken care of and I don't want Hershel present,´ Penny whispered. ´Can you take him outside, make him sit down and stay with him if need be?´

Sheldon walked to the farmer and placed his hand on the man's shoulder. A moment later on the older man lost consciousness.

Sheldon shrugged when he saw Penny gaze at him. ´It's just a technique. He'll be fine,´ he said, ´And so will you be when we check the zombies together.´

All Penny could come up with was: ´There's no one guarding on this side now.´

Sheldon checked his watch. ´Daryl is gathering wood but he's scheduled to return in ten minutes.´

OoOoOoO

Penny went to her guard spot and soon enough Daryl walked out of the forest. She gestured him to come to her and told him that Sheldon was helping Mr Greene in the barn and that she was afraid they'd argue again. Could Daryl please stand guard for a while so she could make sure everything was going all right? The taciturn huntsman dropped a dead rabbit and the huge bundle of branches he'd collected and took his stand. Penny made it back to the barn.

OoOoOoO

Sheldon hadn't been idle. He'd found a ladder to descend to the barn's floor as well as several thrown away sheets, a jute bag, an old prong and some rusty spades.

´How's Hershel?´

´He's fine.´

Sheldon was wearing gloves and a nose clip and Penny followed his example. Breathing through your mouth was preferable with the task they'd assigned themselves to. Sheldon lowered and secured the ladder. He put the sheets in the jute bag and threw it down. Neither the meddling with the ladder nor the sound the bag made when it landed revived any zombies.

Penny covered her friend as he slowly descended holding the prong. The ladder cracked and Sheldon and Penny talked about where and how to bury the dead and despite the noise they made there still was no movement on the floor.

The zombies were lying in a heap. As Penny and Sheldon removed more and more bodies their task became harder for they had to step into a pool of slippery blood and at times they couldn't avoid spread out entrails either. They worked in silence.

When they had no more zombies to take care off Penny admitted: ´I didn't intend to jump in after him.´

´Good. It wouldn't have been sensible if you had done that. I would have stopped you.´

Sheldon picked up the jute bag.

´It would be preferable,´ he said after a moment during which they'd taken in the sight of Jimmy, ´if people would just vaporize the moment their brains stop functioning.´

Penny nodded. Sheldon secured Jimmy's neck with the prong like he'd done with the zombies.

´I'm sorry Jimmy,´ Penny said before gently removing her arrow.

Sheldon opened the bag and using the prong and occasionally her feet Penny filled it with those parts of Jimmy that belonged inside his body. When there was nothing hanging out of the boy any more Penny unfolded one of the last sheets. At first she tossed it aside for it had a picture of Snow White on it. The next sheet had neutral grey and white stripes and Penny was ready to use it, when she figured that during the time until the funeral it might get stained. She and Sheldon rolled Jimmy into Snow White (back side up), making sure that his head, which apart from the hole between his eyes wasn't mutilated, remained visible. They laid Jimmy on the floor, away from the zombies.

´This will have to do,´ Penny said. ´I'll see how Hershel is doing.´

She didn't have to go upstairs. The farmer had regained consciousness and tearfully looked at them. He came down the ladder like an old man and stared at his late wife's face; she was the second of five zombies whose bodies were covered by a mot-eaten sheet with faint yellow polka dots.

Penny put an arm around Hershel.

´I'm so sorry,´ she said. She gave him a few moments and then added: ´I will inform your daughters and Patricia and send them here.´

Hershel nodded but Penny wondered whether he had heard her. Sheldon had though and he wasn't pleased.

´You know I feel uncomfortable when people are emotional,´ he whispered. ´What am I supposed to say?´

Penny was just about to tell Sheldon that Hershel needed silence when she saw the farmer's lost expression. Perhaps he needed a distraction.

´Why don't you ask Hershel after the names of his _family and friends_. You understand? It would be like offering a hurt friend a hot beverage.´

Sheldon wrapped his brain around it and nodded. _I can't call them by the Z word and I must act sympathetically_, he mouthed.

_Right! _Penny mouthed back. Sheldon approached Hershel. Penny decided to stay for a moment longer, just in case. Gesturing to a particular zombie Sheldon -in the hushed voice of an undertaker – said: ´I know that this is Dave. Can you tell me his family name?´

´Peters,´ Hershel immediately replied. ´Dave Peters. He was from Houston. He played the piano at parties. Married a woman from the village. Silvia Johanson. She is over there. With the short dark hair and the earrings, see? She was my accountant.´

´An accurate woman no doubt. I like accurate people. Who is the person on Dave's left?´

´That is Marcus Lesser,´ Hershel said. His voice was a little steadier than it had been. ´Used to go to elementary school with my stepson. They remained close friends ever since.´

´True friendship is something to treasure. Is your stepson here also?´

Penny left.

OoOoOoO

Watching the three farmer women (for Maggie had returned from her trip) leave for the barn, Penny felt for them. She was glad that Hershel had recovered enough to await them outside. Beth run into his wide open arms.

´Everything all right?´

Penny looked behind her to see Rick, Shane and T-Dog.

´Do you recall Mr Greene's ideas about zombies?´

´Thinks they're sick right?´ Shane spat.

´He suited the action to the word,´ Penny said. ´He kept his family and friends who had turned in his barn.´

Shane grabbed the pistol Rick had taken with him on his raid and ran off.


	9. Every time we say goodbye

Rick and T-Dog were too shocked by what Penny had told them to react as swiftly as Shane had. Penny, though she hadn't been able to prevent Shane from taking Rick's gun, didn't lose any more time: she ran after the enraged policeman and dived to his knees. He fell and lost grip of the pistol.

´Listen!´ Penny said as she fixed Shane's legs to the ground with her upper body. ´He asked me to kill them and I did.´

T-Dog and Rick had by now hurried toward them and a heartfelt ´Thank God!´ escaped the former's lips. Penny rose. She felt bruised. Rick, after picking up his gun, offered a hand to Shane, who ignored it and got to his feet cursing.

´Right under our bloody noses. Jesus! It's like living on a fucking mine field!´

´So they're gone?´ Rick asked Penny.

´Yes, there are no zombies left on the farm. They are all killed,´ Penny elaborated just in case Shane hadn't yet understood. ´But they got Jimmy.´

Rick's jaws clenched.

´Oh man, that poor kid,´ T-Dog said.

´Fuck!´

´He needs to be buried,´ Penny said, ´and so do the others. There's an empty ditch behind the barn. It's about thirty metres long but it's not yet deep enough. Can you please help us with that Shane?´

All men seemed surprised by Penny's choice.

´I'll drive the shovel over,´ Shane said.

´I think it's best if T-Dog continued to use that for the defence system. If you could bring your spade along, that would be great.´

´Sure sugar.´

Penny let it pass. If calling her by a pet name sweetened the fact that she'd just knocked him over in front of two other men: fine. Shane walked toward the wall to get his spade.

´Rick, I will tell Daryl; will you inform the others? There will be a funeral for Jimmy and the other dead in an hour and a half. Please ask them to come to the barn then.´

From Rick's nod she understood that he got her meaning. T-Dog put his hand on her shoulder in sympathy before returning to the shovel.

OoOoOoO

Daryl neither shouted nor cursed after Penny informed him about what had happened.

´Saw your nearly empty quiver,´ he said. ´Wondered what had happened.´

Shane kicked against a small stone but otherwise he didn't comment.

On their way to the ditch Penny gestured toward the house and told Shane that it would be a good place for Lori's baby to grow up. She wasn't surprised to see Shane's lips curve into a smile.

When the policeman saw that none other than Sheldon was digging he leapt into the ditch to best him.

OoOoOoO

In the barn Hershel held his youngest daughter. Maggie and Patricia stood hand in hand looking at Jimmy's body but when Maggie saw Penny get down the ladder, she walked toward her.

´Dad said there was nothing you could have done.´

´No there wasn't,´ Penny simply said.

´He said that even his mum attacked him?´

´They all did.´

Maggie stared from Jimmy to the remains of the boy's mother and swallowed hard. ´Dad mentioned a burial.´

´Sheldon and Shane are deepening the ditch behind the barn.´

´I'll help them.´

´It would be really helpful if you could take Patricia, your father and sister to the house. Rick is keeping everyone away from the barn and at the house the rest of the group can support you.´

Penny figured that both the scent in the barn and the appeal of Glenn's arms persuaded Maggie to do her bidding.

OoOoOoO

Keeping an eye on the surroundings as well as blocking the entrance to the attic Penny cleaned the arrows she'd retrieved. After some time Sheldon got out of the ditch. He and Shane talked and Penny couldn't hear what they said. Sheldon gestured for her to come and she did. Shane got out too.

´He said there are nineteen bodies to bury. We barely covered half the distance of what's needed,´ the policeman said.

´They'll lie side by side,´ Sheldon remarked.

Penny took a few steps closer to the ditch. ´Wow! You worked so hard!´

Shane proudly shrugged. ´Not tired yet. What's next?´

´Sheldon and I will handle it from here: I deprived everyone of your company long enough. Rick's at the house but I think they need you too.´

´Don't know 'bout that, but maybe you're right,´ Shane said trying hard not to look pleased.

With a kiss on his cheek Penny gave him leave to go. He walked away with a winner's smile on his face.

From Sheldon's expression Penny concluded that he didn't quite understand what he'd just witnessed. He didn't inquire after it though: he opened the impressive lock on the barn's small back door as if he were a seasoned burglar.

OoOoOoO

Penny had not wanted to confront Sophia's people with Hershel's mistake so when the mourners arrived they found the zombies buried already; small branches with strips of cloth carrying names stood on the lengthy mass grave. Hershel had a heartfelt word to say for every one of his family and friends and red-eyed Beth had picked flowers for them. With satisfaction Penny saw that most of Sophia's people were moved by the speech. If Andrea cried for her own loved ones, did it matter? If Carol's tears fell because she was grateful to have her daughter with her or even to be a widow, wasn't it a fitting sight? If Shane looked at Hershel as if he would kill him if he ever housed zombies again, he'd never have reason to do so.

Leonard, Raj and Sheldon had volunteered to stand guard. When Hershel, Patricia, Rick and T-Dog went to retrieve Jimmy's body, Howard tried to get near Penny but Sophia addressed him and by the time he'd answered her Jimmy's remains were slowly carried toward the ditch. Even without a coffin and with the bearers simply holding the body by its grey and white funeral cloth there was something dignified about it. Or perhaps, Penny said to herself, it only seems that way compared to how Sheldon and I got rid of the zombies.

Through Hershel and Patricia's farewells Jimmy became more alive than a year's acquaintance could have accomplished. T-Dog, who'd worked some shifts with the boy, said kind words and repeated one of Jimmy's gags. People smiled in his honour.

When at last the body was lowered in the earth, Hershel said a prayer and then the grave was closed and strewed with flowers. Sophia's people started returning to the house. Howard walked to Penny who stood aside. She braced herself.

´Why didn't you call us?´ Howard softly said as befitted both location and occasion. He sounded hurt.

´I figured that if you guys wanted to stay here it was best if you weren't part of it.´

Howard looked at Penny wide eyed.

´Hershel wanted them killed but later on he might regret it and blame you if you'd helped us,´ Penny explained.

´Penny,´ Howard started. He sighed. ´Why on earth do you think we want to stay here?´

Penny felt light-headed. ´Don't you?´

Howard gazed at her incredulously.

´You don't?´

´No!´

´But you _like_ it here.´

´_Want_ us to stay?´

Penny held him close.

´I guess that's a no,´ Howard concluded, ´There'll never be mutiny in our team Penny.´

In a dramatic low voice he said: ´For we are the P men!´

Howard smelled sourly and his beard chafed her skin but Penny wouldn't let go of him.

´And there I was thinking that naming a team after a group of alcoholics was silly,´ Howard whispered in mock surprise, ´Why didn't your parents name you Xenia or even Queenie?´

Penny, biting Howard's shoulder pad, hoped that the remaining mourners who saw her jolting shoulders would think that she was crying instead of giggling like a maniac. When she straightened up she had some tears to wipe away though.

´Crazy Penelope,´ Howard fondly said.

OoOoOoO

Their departure was delayed but now that she was sure they'd leave, Penny acknowledged that it had been nice to live in a community. She'd miss it; or at least she'd miss _some_ people. From her guarding position she saw Hershel appear from behind the barn. He carried his forgotten tools and with his free hand he wiped his cheeks.

He sought her company but for a moment he simply stood next to her overlooking his fields. A bird flew onto the barn's roof and polished its feathers.

´I was a fool,´ Hershel said.

´You're a doctor. You want to cure. When you hear moaning you think someone's in pain.´

´You make it sound like something noble. I was naïve Penny.´

´Out of the goodness of your heart,´ Penny said and she hoped that no one was having a similar conversation with her father.

Hershel shook his head. ´I didn't accept what happened. I kept hoping.´

´Hope is a precious thing.´

´It is,´ Hershel said, nodding thoughtfully, ´It is. But it killed Jimmy.´

No words could be sufficient after that. After looking at Penny with mild and sad eyes, Hershel left.

OoOoOoO

The schedule Howard had made allowed for a ten minutes _farewell to_ _the Pasadena people_. Before going to the house, Penny and her men went to say goodbye to Daryl, T-Dog and Andrea, who stood guard.

In the former dining room, now styled the meeting room, the five of them were awaited by the rest of the group. Penny liked the fake smile on Lori's face but Carol's moved expression as well as glasses filled with wine and the fact that Sophia held something behind her back made her feel uncomfortable. She had longed to leave almost from the moment the girl had run into her mother's arms and now the time had come, she felt guilty about that.

´I'd like to propose two toasts,´ Hershel said. ´Here's a toast to loved ones we lost.´

His toast was repeated and everyone took a sip, though Howard, Raj and Leonard, who'd be driving, only did so after being told that the wine had been mixed with water.

´My second toast is to our new friends who are leaving us. They were here but for a few days but they changed our lives.´

Penny stared ahead. Dale pressed her free hand.

´Sheldon, doctor Cooper,´ Hershel said, ´your friend Howard told me that you are brilliant. Today I learned that you have a considerate heart.´

Before Sheldon could reply the farmer moved on.

´Rajesh, you travelled through a country plagued by the undead. It is admirable that you have the positive attitude you have.´

Calling them zombies is a bridge too far, Penny mused, but a least he leaves no doubt that they are a plague.

Raj inclined his head and thanked Hershel.

´Leonard, you told me that when you started your journey, you needed to adjust to this changed world. You succeeded and your example is worth to strive after for an old man like myself.´

Leonard bit his lip. Penny was getting nervous as to what Hershel would bestow on her.

´Howard, at first I dismissed your plan to alter my farm. You made an additional plan to enclose the barn. It will be executed too. Your kindness and excellent ideas will not be forgotten.´

Hershel shifted his gaze from Howard to Penny.

´Penny. You approached my farm, our farm, with an enchanting smile on your face. You proved to be a wise leader. A toast to Sheldon, Rajesh, Leonard, Howard and Penny. May they reach their destination!´

Penny drank before the party had finished applauding and _hear hear-ing_.

´He is right you know,´ Dale whispered.

´Everyone!´ Carol said through the general chatting. With Dale and Rick's help she got everyone's attention.

´Howard, Penny, Leonard, Raj, Sheldon. I long for the day when we receive a message on the walkie-talkie saying that you safely made it to Penny's farm. You brought me my girl. I can never...´

Carol blinked a few times and swallowed hard.

´Mum and I made you a present. From all of us,´ Sophia came to her mother's aid. She offered Howard a paper bag with a chain of white and yellow flowers around it.

´You can wear that round your neck later on,´ the girl shyly suggested. ´The real present is inside. For all of you.´

It was a loaf of bread. To Penny it was incense, myrrh and gold combined and she was glad that she had agreed to Howard's suggestion.

´This is a true treat,´ Howard said through Raj's Y_ummy!_ He looked at Carol and Sophia before eyeing the others as well. ´From all of us: thank you. We would like to hand you a present as well. It is a present for the group but I have a little something for Sophia also and with that I'll start.´

The girl blushed. Howard handed her a tiny booklet. It was one of two personal items he'd been allowed to take with him from Pasadena.

´Your magic tricks...´ Sophia said in awe. ´Thank you!´

Penny loved the girl for valuing Howard's treasured manual for its worth.

When the booklet had been shown to Sophia's mother and others who stood nearby, Howard cleared his throat and from his back-pack he got the group's present. First he placed a head support on the table. While eagerly being watched he attached something to it. With enthusiasm people guessed that it was a hands-free pair of binoculars.

Howard grinned. ´Almost. This is a night vision device running on solar cells.´

Disbelieving as well as excited cries followed his words.

´Are you serious?,´ Glenn asked, ´Don't you need it yourselves?´

Howard shrugged. ´It's our spare one.´

´The walking guard going from Newton's wall to Elrond's to Sagan's to Wolverine's should use it, for that way the device will be most beneficial,´ Sheldon said. ´Names for future walls may be Nightcrawler, Eta Carinae, Spock and WaQ. That's Klingon for obstruct which is what a wall does. I noted down the names in appendix eight of the construction plan.´

Rick, dragging his eyes away from the gift he held in his hands, looked at Hershel, who nodded.

´On behalf of all of us: thank you,´ Rick said.

´You're welcome. Oh, you are referring to the device. You're welcome.´

Laughter, sincere as well as scornful, filled the room and died away.

´When we first got here,´ Penny heard herself say, ´I thought of some of you as Sophia's people while others were farm people. From now on you'll be the Greeneville people to me.´

´Greeneville,´ Sheldon repeated. ´I like the sound of that. It's not Sheldonopolis, but I like it still.´

They drank to Greeneville and chatted a bit. When Howard picked up his back-pack and hung it over his shoulder everyone turned quiet.

´It is time for us to leave,´ Howard said. ´But I see that we all have some wine left...´

OoOoOoO

The gusto with which Howard's final toast had been repeated never failed to make Penny smile, even when she was a wrinkled grey-haired woman.

´L'chaim!´


End file.
